Author: Wanggo Gallaga

THEATER REVIEW: Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo Delivers a Powerhouse Performance as Maria Callas in Philippine Opera Company Production of ‘Master Class’

Terrence McNally’s play Master Class is an imagining of one of the sessions of famed opera diva Maria Callas’ master class, which she held a few years before she died, after her voice had given out and her retirement. It is a fictional account of what a master class would be like with someone so important and revolutionary in the world of opera that her teachings would give way to asides that would talk about art, discipline, fame, and her own personal life. It is funny and brutal, it’s casual and accessible and yet it reaches out and engages thoroughly with the sophisticated world of an elite art practice. In efforts to demystify and humanize Callas, McNally allows humour – formed by Callas’ self-confidence and belief in herself and her brutally honest and frank way of critiquing the students and anybody else who catches her attention – into the script and interweaves it with explorations of what it takes to truly express the truth in art while also wrestling with Callas’ own personal demons.

The Philippine Opera Company’s latest staging of Master Class has Jaime Del Mundo in the director’s chair, and he strips away the theatrics of the Carlos P. Romulo Theater at the RCBC Plaza and turns the stage into a rather simple venue for a master class.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

There’s a piano, a high chair with a music stand, and a table filled with books at the back. Before the start of the play, a projection of Maria Callas is screened on the backdrop, a textured screen that remains dormant until the finale, which gives way to the only spectacle Del Mundo allows for this play.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

There are no theatrics here. The spectacle is the performance of Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Maria Callas, a force of nature walking in from the audience’s side who, through sheer aura and stage presence alone, grabs all of our attention.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

Lauchengco-Yulo does not try to mimic or imitate Callas. Instead, she takes all of the opera diva’s essence and truth and presents it in her line delivery, her posture, and her facial expressions. It’s a commanding role, with the majority of the play’s two acts centered around her. Callas knows she’s a star and that this class is filled with people who want to be like her, and Lauchengco-Yulo runs with it but, at the same time, is hiding something deep inside.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

This is presented in moments while her students are singing; she enters into her own interiority, and delivers a gut-wrenching monologue that mines all of the character’s emotional struggles into a powerful moment for Lauchengco-Yulo.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

She does this twice – once before the end of act one and a second time before the end of act two – and it’s really the highlight of the show.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

The cast surrounding her – her accompanist on the piano, Manny (Louie Angelo Oca), the three students, Sophie de Palma (Alexandra Bernas), Anthony Candolino (Arman Ferrer), and Sharon Graham (Angeli Benipayo), and a stagehand (Nelsito Gomez) – feels directed to play in total contrast to Lauchengco-Yulo’s Callas.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

As she is grounded in emotion, the supporting cast feel exaggerated and hyper-real; as Callas is striving for truth, the people around her are playing to people’s expectations.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

The contrast is apparent, and the magic really happens when Ferrer and Benipayo have to sing, with Lauchengco-Yulo, in character, directing them through the songs. I grew up listening to opera arias when my dad would play them while working. I know very little about it, but I could hear the shifts and tones when Ferrer and Benipayo began to imbibe Callas’ teachings.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

They are singing difficult pieces – one from Turandot and the other from Verdi’s MacBeth – and they are acting through them. The largeness of their spoken scenes is given nuance and texture as they sing their arias and learn how to find truth in the performance. By the time they exit the stage, Ferrer and Benipayo have changed their approach and Callas has done her work.

Terrence McNally’s Master Class by The Philippine Opera Company | Photos by Myra Ho

Maria Callas, as a character, is not easy to like, though you can admire her. She’s abrasive and self-possessed and we can hang on to her story because she has lived a truly remarkable life. Lauchengco-Yulo plays her head on, without begging for sympathy, and the result hits like a hammer to the head. It’s a bravura performance from Lauchengco-Yulo that realises the full extent of McNally’s play, but it also makes the piece feel somewhat inaccessible unless you truly love the practice of art like I do. There were people around me who couldn’t grasp the full nature of the show; taking the master class tone and setting to mean they were not in the theater, they began talking incessantly from the middle of the first act.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Driven by a commanding, bravura performance from Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, this production is a must-see for true lovers of the craft. Don’t miss the final weekend of Terrence McNally’s award-winning masterpiece, Master Class. The final shows will run on May 30 at 3 PM and 8 PM at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. You can secure your tickets now by calling 09176452946 or by visiting Ticket2Me.

May 30, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Inde Navarratte Delivers a Breakthrough Role in the Terrifying ‘Obsession’

Stemming from a very simple premise, Obsession finds its chilling horror in the many ways a single wish can go wrong. With minimal characters, a lean plot, and sparse set pieces, director-screenwriter Curry Barker maximizes the scares by exposing the extremes a person would endure for their desires and the sheer damage it inflicts on the human body and those around them. While the hook is supernatural in nature, Barker utilizes very little supernatural horror and keeps it grounded in the depths of human willpower and raw emotion. Ultimately, what makes this film scary is its depiction of how far a person can go for the object or person that they want.

Baron “Bear” Bailey (Michael Johnston) is a shy, sensitive young man who is in love with Nikki (Inde Navarrette), his childhood friend and co-worker at a music store. Together with their other friends and co-workers, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless), Bear is constantly with Nikki, yet he cannot open up to her about his feelings.

The One Wish Willow box from the film OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Bear happens upon a a magic shop and purchases a “One Wish Willow” novelty toy, that supposedly grant a single wish when snapped in half. He was supposed to give it to Nikki but when he can’t even do that, he uses it for himself and wishes that Nikki would love him “more than anyone in the world.” The shift is instantaneous. Nikki’s affection changes into a consuming obsession and begins to do anything and everything to be around Bear, pushing further and further what a person is capable of doing to show their love for someone.

The One Wish Willow display from the film OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Manny Liotta / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Barker sets his world and most of the scenes at night, always filling the screen with shadows and darkness, using only minimal light to illuminate the faces of his cast. From the get-go, Nikki’s transformation is already frightening. She’s lying and making up stories – and not very good ones – just to find any excuse to be with Bear.

OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

But later on, it breaks beyond the border of obsession; Nikki is constantly at Bear’s periphery. And he tries to rationalize that the novelty toy actually granted his wish, Bear reveals a side of him that was probably always there, but never exposed until the narrative gives him more chances to show his true persona.

Inde Navarrette stars as Nikki in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Obsession does not shy away from visceral blood and gore in this film. The lengths by which Nikki would go to just to keep Bear near her and for him to pay attention to her is frightening. But Barker also gives her some scary movements, almost as if she’s possessed by some unnatural force. She would do things that would push her body’s limits just to prove her devotion to Bear. In some cases, the film leads to some terrifying jump scares that don’t feel cheap because it feels earned by the dramatic situation. Nikki becomes a patient predator, waiting in the shadows, in the sidelines, bidding her time until the best time she can be with Bear. It is surprising and it predicates that the wish has hollowed Nikki out, leaving he a captive host to an insatiable force.

Inde Navarrette stars as Nikki and Michael Johnston as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Without being too obvious about it, the film can easily be viewed through a feminist lens. It portrays how the wishes of men can sometimes boil down to wanting a woman to be completely devoted to them, even if it is against her will and to the ultimate detriment of her own mind and body. Bear does not automatically try to find a way to break the spell; instead, he only seeks to minimize its harmful effects. Even though she is acting strangely, and is clearly dangerous to herself and to others, he still tries to find a way to keep her, just without the apparent harm. While it is never explicitly emphasized or stated, it is a powerful feminist statement if I ever saw one.

Michael Johnston stars as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Johnston is incredible as Bear, playing into his soft-boy persona while also being completely overwhelmed by the story’s situation. There is a multitude of emotions running through him, and Johnston allows us to see all of them coursing through his body. It’s an excellent portrayal that demands an immense amount of skill and talent. But this movie is truly a showcase for Navarrette and her unbelievable commitment to the character and the dramatic situation. She is fearless and unpredictable. She’s a force of nature that transcends the film’s horror genre, turning it into a layered dramatic performance of a person whose entire personality has been reduced to the singular, simple wish of “loving someone more than anyone else in the world.” It’s an intensely physical role, one that is totally devoid of ego. And she is in it all the way; a star is born.

Michael Johnston stars as Bear, Megan Lawless as Sarah and Cooper Tomlinson as Ian in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Barker’s pacing and direction allow the film to build and build, allowing things to get worse and worse and earns its big finale. It’s one of those movies where the audience in the cinema begins talking out loud to the characters on screen because they simply cannot contain their fear and anxiety over what is unfolding onscreen. This is absolutely a film made for the big screen.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Fearless, brutal, and absolutely unmissable. Obsession is a masterclass in tension that demands to be seen with a crowd. Don’t wait for the spoilers, check showtimes now and witness Inde Navarrete’s powerhouse performance on the big screen!

May 29, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Colony’ Boasts Refreshing Twists While Featuring Jun Ji-hyun in a Role She Does Best

From director Yeon Sang-ho, who previously gave us the excellent Train to Busan before veering into the middling territory of Peninsula, Colony emerges as an action-packed horror film that amps up the stakes while containing the chaos inside a high-rise building complex in downtown Seoul to maintain an intimate and intense narrative. By confining the humans inside one location, it often takes the tone and mode of a horror/thriller until the story pushes it towards more action-oriented fare. While the storytelling remains clear, its emotional core is relegated to the supporting characters rather than the protagonist. Nevertheless, Colony is a fun, exciting movie to watch in the cinema as Yeon Sang-ho knows how to utilize the big screen for maximum visceral impact.

Colony centers on a group of people who get trapped within a commercial complex, encompassing a shopping mall, corporate offices, and a convention hall, after a man-made outbreak transforms the population into hyper-aggressive zombie horde operating under a singular hive-mind.

Jun Ji-hyun (credited as Gianna Jun, which is her international name) leads the cast as Kwon Se-jeong. a brilliant, tough, and demanding biotech professor who arrives at the building to attend the Chain Bio Conference with her ex-husband, Han Gyu-seong (Go Soo).

While trying to get a job interview with the Chains Bio CEO, Se-jeong witnesses a confrontation between the executive and Suh Yeong-cheol (Koo Kyo-hwan), a disgraced former Chains Bio scientist who was fired because his research had deadly consequences that threatened the fate of humanity’s future.

Determined to take revenge and prove his research would not only improve the human race but help him exact his revenge on everyone who had wronged him. Yeong-cheol injects both himself and the CEO with a bio-weapon virus, now a zombie, unleashing a localized patient zero, an infects other who rapidly turns the entire complex into a claustrophobic house of horrors.

The building perimeter is quickly sealed off as the attacks intensify and trapping a small cluster of survivors within the building. Among them are the complex’s security officer, Choi Hyun-seok (Ji Chang-wook), his sister Choi Hyun-hee (Kim Shin-rok), who needs a wheelchair to move, and a few other desperate civilians.

Trapped in the building, without any exit strategy, the survivors is forced to navigate through the maze-like building, executing tense evasion tactics to bypass a rapidly multiplying, hive-minded horde to avoid detection if they want to make it out alive.

The structural set up is very clear and precise. Yeon Sang-ho, co-writing alongside Choi Gyu-seok, injects a new twist into the zombie genre by adding elements of biotech elements into the mix. Rather than acting on standard rabid instinct, these zombies are patterned from certain parasitic fungus and ants colonies. They communicate with each other and exchange information through pheromones.

Consequently, any intelligence and information gained by a single zombie is shared with another. Se-jeong must use her intellect to try and outsmart the hive-mind horde to find a cure or find an escape route before they all succumb.

Much like Train to Busan, Yeong Sang-ho fills the surviving party with the familiar genre archetypes – the law enforcer, teenagers (including bullies and the bullied), the vulnerable older person, and a rich man who thinks his wealth dictates the value of his life.

And among them is the everyman, in the form of Ji Chang-wook, who actually works as an everyman despite his good looks – but he plays against type and creates new and refreshing dimensions with these characters. Some people are not what they seem and they play out in the survival aspect of the movie in unpredictable ways.

But make no mistake: this is entirely Jun Ji-hyun’s movie. The camera and the world revolve around her, leaving Ji Chang-wook to merely playing support. Yet, it provides the film with a much-needed emotional core with Ji Chang-wook’s relationship with his sister, played by Kim Shin-rok, who is always excellent in anything she does. As a person with physical disability, Kim Shin-rok’s Choi Hyun-hee is initially framed as a liability, however, a beautifully planted character trait completely shifts the narrative landscape later on. It’s their sibling bond that lends the film its genuine heart, but it is ultimately Jun Ji-hyun’s presence as Se-jeong that gives the film forward momentum.

Both Jun Ji-hyun and Koo Kyo-hwan make for strong lead characters – the protagonist and the antagonist – in roles they have mastered in their many dramas and films before this. These characters are types they’ve played before, but it is so fun watching them do it.

Ultimately, Colony is a tight, exceptionally fast-paced, and action-packed ride. It makes full use on the claustrophobic setting to create an exciting cat-and-mouse thriller, that surprises with some twists in the second and third acts that ensure the story remains unpredictable and refreshing. It has dynamic, sweeping camera movements that keeps the action scenes breathlessly kinetic and heart-pounding while the choreography of the zombie horde is distinct and frightening from start to finish.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Don’t miss the claustrophobic terror and relentless thrills of Colony. Gather your friends, buy your tickets, and experience the hive-mind horror on the biggest screen possible. Now playing in cinemas nationwide! Check your local theater listings for showtimes.

May 29, 2026
PRIME VIDEO STREAMING REVIEW: ‘Spider-Noir’ with Nicolas Cage Marries Two Polar Opposite Genres and Comes Out with Something New and Exciting

A spin-off series from the massively successful Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Noir character is actually quite an inventive and refreshing move from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios. By turning it into a live-action series set in an alternate universe of 1930s Depression-era New York, showrunner Oren Uziel manages to juggle the tonal issues of presenting a superhero show in the noir genre – or is it a noir show with superhuman characters? Finding the productive tension between these two storytelling modes creates an entertaining spectacle, with Nicolas Cage at the center grounding it altogether.

The show follows Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) several years after his exploits as the superhero The Spider. Following tragic events involving the loss of someone very close to him, Reilly has given up his superhero activities and resumed his life as a struggling private detective. Without The Spider, New York is overrun by crime, with the mob boss Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson) at the top of the underworld food chain. However, a new case involving other individuals with superpowers leads Reilly right into Silvermane’s crosshairs. Over the first three episodes, the show pushes Reilly to question his decision and wonder whether he should take on the mantle of The Spider once again.

Screenshot

Consisting of eight episodes, I’ve only seen the first three, and most of these episodes are filled with intricate world-building. These early episodes allow us to get into the show’s tone and genre, smoothly easing us into its marriage of noir with that of the comic book superhero genre. Reilly is not alone in this world. He has a friend who knows about his dual life, the journalist Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris), and his a crafty, competent secretary Janet (Karen Rodriguez).

Prime Video’s Spider-Noir

The world, straight out of the noir genre, is a bleak, broken society hidden underneath the glitz and glamour of New York’s upper class, who make it the clientele of Reilly and the cause of all the misery. It’s underhanded and dirty, but only as much as it can be in a show that styles itself like an old Humphrey Bogart film and a family-friendly superhero adventure. The extraordinary comes in brief spurts but with huge impact across these first three episodes, showing great restraint and preventing one side from overpowering the other. Uziel is doing a great job of balancing Spider-Noir’s dual personalities without dismantling the show’s overall feel of it.

The existential dread that is evident in many noir films is front and center here. Reilly is a man who has been beaten by life, and he is deeply in opposition of going head on back into the realm of the superhero. This dilemma feels so current and relatable, posing the question of whether it matters to be good in a world that is so infested by people breaking the law; especially when those people seem to be winning at life. The exhaustion and frustration hang heavy in the first three episodes – yet the show still manages to be light and entertaining – making the entire experience feel refreshing and new.

And this is handled magnificently by Nicolas Cage, who seems to straddle the show’s multi-faceted personalities. He knows exactly how to embody this character and how to fit it into the new tonal frequency of the show. Everyone seems to take their cues from him, and the world just feels like it’s right. The other standout is Li Jun Li as Cat Hardy, a night club singer who has ties to Silvermane and becomes one of Ben Reilly’s clients when she asks him to find her missing bodyguard, a man who also has superpowers. Li and Cage’s characters are always engaged in a verbal joust, dropping sentences and phrases that mean multiple things but delivered in a way that echoes the films of the ’30s and ’40s. It’s snappy, loaded, and highly enjoyable to watch.

Spider-Noir is truly different and refreshing, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out. The show is offered in two variants – “Authentic Black & White” and “True Hue,” (a colored version that is highly oversaturated to resemble a comic book from that era) – and the viewer can watch the series in either format. Personally, I prefer the black and white version, as it feels far more true to the classic traditions of the noir genre.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Ready to step into the shadows of 1930s New York? Spider-Noir proves that there is still plenty of invention left in the superhero genre when placed in the right hands, reminding us that sometimes, with no power comes no responsibility. Catch the premiere on May 27 on Prime Video in True-Hue Full Color and Authentic Black & White. See Nicolas Cage at his absolute best!

May 25, 2026
TV REVIEW: The Pilot Episode of ‘Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence’ Sets Itself Up as Prestige Television and It’s Looking for a Home

Director Shugo Praico’s direction for his new 6-part television series, Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence, from the pilot episode that was shown to select audiences a few weeks ago, boasts of a cinematic framing for a very human story set on the backdrop of the country’s alleged war on drugs. Using a multitude of characters, the show deconstructs the individual lives whose worlds are turned upside down the moment the police were incentivized to bring in drug users and pushers depicted in the series. While this story has been done before in various iterations, Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence has the benefit of time – the story is being told with a present-day lens – and all that we know now filters out the propaganda while focusing on its thematic intent to humanize its perpetrators and its victims.

The pilot episode is told in two parts: that of Kiko (Harvey Bautista), a working student who takes drugs to juggle the demands of his studies and earning a living, and that of Father Tom (Ian Veneracion), a priest who runs a rehabilitation program on an island far from the city. Both of their lives are torn asunder following a shift in the administration and the launch of a nationwide anti-drug campaign. The series depicts this transition as one that sends the cops running to apprehend drug pushers and users, with the narrative showing them oftentimes bringing in innocents just to meet their quota.

At the show’s opening, Kiko’s father is killed, prompting Kiko to go on the run and find himself at Father Tom’s rehabilitation program. On that island, the kids find redemption and peace; the storyline makes a great case that rehabilitation actually works, serving as a fantastic contrast to the show’s portrayal of unnecessary violence. Kiko, inspired by Father Tom, leaves for Manila to continue the priest’s work but goes missing. With the administrative shuffle of police chiefs, the new police chief begins to interfere with Father Tom’s program, and the priest takes it upon himself to go to Manila to find out what happened to Kiko.

Veneracion and Bautista are excellent foils for this story to unfold. Both are incredible actors, imbuing their roles with so much texture and nuance that they hit the characters’ realities as well as the show’s thematic messages without losing believability. But the rest of the cast is just as impressive.

Romnick Sarmenta plays Kiko’s dad, whose death serves as the inciting incident in Kiko’s story. Sarmenta is a solid, reliable actor, and is always good in everything. With his character’s early passing and the protagonist shift from Bautista to Veneracion halfway through the show’s pilot, Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence feels unpredictable and refreshing.

The pilot ends with a teaser for the next episode featuring Jane Oineza as a policewoman who seems dedicated to the operation and may take center stage. Will each of the six episodes introduce new players into the show’s depiction of this tragic turn of our nation’s history? It’s an exciting proposal that will pay off well if the succeeding episodes keep up the energy and pace of the pilot.

Praico makes this show feel big. He uses an interplay of wide shots to highlight the milieu of this narrative’s world but also knows that in television, the close-up is key. He shifts his camera lens with precision that makes Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence feel cinematic and grand, while still fully utilizing television’s natural intimacy with its characters. One scene features Bautista running away from the police, moving through the shanties of his turf, up onto the stainless-steel roofs of the slums, and down into another home. It is a massive sequence, impressively shot and edited that lets the audience know they are watching something on a completely different level. The writing is crisp and doesn’t feel like it is spoon-feeding its viewers, which elevates it further.

Currently, Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence is searching for a platform to call home. I hope it ends up on a streaming site that will allow the creators to retain the violence, brutality, gore, and profanity contained in the pilot episode. It is a very real, grounded work that needs that level of violence to heighten the horrors of that period. In this show, no one is purely good or bad, which is one of the things I like about it. Even Father Tom shares his moment of frailty that led him down this path; no one here is entirely innocent, and that feels exactly right for this show.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Which streaming platform do you hope picks up this series? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts on Drug War: A Conspiracy of Silence as it searches to find its home.

May 25, 2026
THEATER REVIEW: Dance Theater Takes a Big Leap Forward with Mari Dance’s Restaging of ‘A Dance in a Day in a Dance’

I’m a huge fan of contemporary dance. I love how expressive and emotional the movements are; it takes a lot of skill to make these seemingly random motions of the body look beautiful, but it always requires a level of storytelling and performance. Having not seen a contemporary dance ballet in a while, I’m thrilled that Mari Dance is bringing it back in a big way by pushing the medium forward and bringing it into the realm of theater. In dance theater, the narrative structure of a play is at work, but the story is communicated entirely through movement. It replaces spoken language with kinetic energy, requiring the audience to let go of the need for words to communicate and instead trust their eyes and ears to pick up the feelings of the story through the performance.

Composed of five short, choreographed pieces by JM Cabling, A Dance in a Day in a Dance tracks the harrowing story of a rigid, abusive dance instructor and choreographer. Played by the terrific Al Bernard Garcia, as he uses capital punishment in the dance studio and terrorizes his students. This framing narrative serves as the transition points that link the five choreographed pieces together.

It begins with Nothing Special, a piece about finding one’s voice amid a culture of silence, performed by featured dancer Michael Que, which mirrors the students trying to process the dance instructor’s abusive ways.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

At the midpoint, the company delivers a stunning performance of Ang Lihim ni Lea, an adaptation of Augie Rivera’s children’s book about a young girl who discovers she can walk through walls but the origins of this ability comes from a scary, dark place.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

Performed by Janine Arisola-Cabrera as Lea, this powerful piece features where the dancer actually goes through the walls of her home, which is realised by a frame wrapped in fabric with holes cut through them.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

The show then transitions to Bent, excellently executed by Arnel Sablas and Sheanne Montecarlos, about an accidental hook up between two dancers. It finishes with Nothing Special, performed by Garcia and Jenris Bernard Garcia, about a man rediscovering and reconciling with his younger self. It is the piece that leads to the transformation of Garcia’s problematic dance instructor that allows him to seek redemption withhis students.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

Under Mikko Angeles’s astute direction and JM Cabling’s inventive choreography, the production transitions seamlessly between the world of the narrative to the world of the individual pieces, ensuring the emotional connection is carried through.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

D Cortezano’s lighting design is exquisite, dynamically shifting colour temperatures and brightness to highlight the emotional spectrum of each scene. In one particular sequence, Cortezano manages to keep Garcia in the spotlight as he dances throughout the entire stage, while the rest of the company of dancers shifts rhythmically in darkness behind him. It had such a powerful effect.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

Complementing this is Wika Nadera’s set design involves panels on wheels so they can be dragged around, with one side made to look like doors and the other to look like artsy walls. The dancers would move them around to change the scene, using whichever side is best for the story at that moment.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

The emotional ride of the entire production is matched by its production savvy and elevated by a host of incredible dancers. Led by Al Bernard Garcia, the ensemble and featured dancers are so strong. Their lines were beautiful. Their technique showed but each one was able to convey the story so well.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

For me, the night’s true standouts, aside from Garcia who really anchored the whole production, were Arisola-Cabrera, whose portrayal of Lea is intricate and nuanced, and Montecarlos, whose performance in ‘Bent’ really showcased her talent and training and she brought in a lot of charm.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

Among the ensemble, Evan Joe Asuela stood out for his grace and strength. He was just part of the ensemble, but his stage presence was so strong that I couldn’t stop watching him dance during the big numbers.

A Dance in a Day in a Dance | Photo by Cesar Morales

If you’re looking to get into watching ballet or contemporary dance, Mari Dance’s A Dance in a Day in a Dance is a wonderful starter show and its theatrical structure keeps it familiar.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Don’t miss this breathtaking leap forward in local dance theater! A Dance in a Day in a Dance runs until May 31 at the Doreen Black Box Theater, Areté, Quezon City. Experience the magic live, secure your tickets NOW at maridance.com!

May 22, 2026
DISNEY+ STREAMING REVIEW: Jon Bernthal Adds Depth and Duality to ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’

As the second season of Daredevil: Born Again comes to a close, Disney+ has released a one-shot special, The Punisher: One Last Kill. The special is co-written by Jon Bernthal, who reprises his role as Frank Castle, alongside co-writer and director Reinaldo Marcus Green. Having last seen Frank Castle in the first season of Daredevil: Born Again and we have seen him in trailers for the upcoming Spider-Man movie, it is clear he remains essential to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This special interweaves itself seamlessly into the chaotic, borderline-dystopian world of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (though, to be honest, it’s not that far off from what we see in the news sans superpowered vigilantes).

In this 51-minute special, we see Frank Castle struggling under the weight of his post-traumatic stress disorder. Having killed all the criminal families responsible for the death of his wife and children, Castle is left aimless and without purpose. He hides out in New York’s Little Sicily, which has turned into a chaotic battleground; without the mobsters running the streets, gangs roam free and attack without consequence. Castle contemplates suicide until he is confronted by Ma Gnucci (a spectacular Judith Light), the last surviving member of the Gnucci family, one of those families Frank was taking revenge on. Having tracked him down, she puts a bounty on his head and exposes his location. From there, the episode turns from a quiet, dramatic exploration of one man’s trauma and its effects into a no-holds barred, violent bloodbath with explosive action sequences and a grim renewal of Frank Castle’s sense of purpose.

Frank Castle / The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) in Marvel’s THE PUNISHER: ONE LAST KILL, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2026 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

The first twenty minutes are all atmosphere and mood, we really get into the mind of Frank Castle. Bernthal is so good at creating vulnerability from an otherwise terrifying very powerful man. As an intensely physical actor, he expresses the full spectrum of character’s interiority through hi body language. Seeing that he co-wrote the script, he is able to show off restraint with the dialogue, clearly knowing exactly which parts he could show through body language and his eyes. It is a riveting performance that reaffirms why Bernthal is such an excellent choice for the character.

(L-R): Curtis Hoyle (Jason R. Moore), Frank Castle / The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Nick (Nick Koumalatsos), and Colton (Colton Hill) in Marvel’s THE PUNISHER: ONE LAST KILL, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2026 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

Taking off from Daredevil: Born Again, this special puts a spotlight on lawlessness, serving as a bleak commentary on how our civilization seems to be crumbling down. Unrestrained violence and a brazen capacity to do harm take center stage here, yet The Punisher: One Last Kill also shows us how hope still flourishes even in the most violent of storms.

Frank Castle / The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) in Marvel’s THE PUNISHER: ONE LAST KILL, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2026 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

The special starts off slow, a good twenty minutes is there to set up the world and establishing Frank’s unwillingness to engage with it. His mission is done, his hope is depleted, and the narrative can occasionally get dragging. However, Bernthal remains such a compelling presence that he makes it bearable but you can also see that this is just a set up for an explosive final thirty minutes. What follows is a bloodbath that moves from one unit in an apartment complex down into the streets. It’s bloody, brutal, gory and relentless.

Ultimately, the special serves up the dual halves of Frank Castle’s psyche, as a character, and shows us how he continues to move on in the MCU. It will be interesting to see how this character would appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, a film bound to have a more family-friendly rating. What is most important, however, is that Frank Castle is officially back as The Punisher, and One Last Kill is a great special to bring him back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

An absolute must-watch for MCU fans looking for real grit. Stream The Punisher: One Last Kill is now on Disney+.

May 19, 2026
THEATER REVIEW: ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’: A Very Modern Superstar

Director Timothy Sheader’s concept for the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar is an interesting interplay of 1970s rock opera with a lot of modern sensibilities, reimagining Jesus Christ as a sort of disinterested celebrity. The stage design is sparse and foreboding: on stage right stands a two-story structure made to look like wood, while on the left, a massive platform in the shape of a cross serves as a makeshift table or an elevated stage for other characters to come through. While lighting designer Lee Curran does wonders in shaping the atmosphere, it is Tom Scutt’s set design that truly makes you feel like something bad is about to happen.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Ricardo Afonso and the Jesus Christ Superstar Company | Photo by Zeus Martinez Photography

The play pulls from Gospel passages to explore – entirely through rock music – Jesus’s relationships with his disciples and followers as his rising influence begins to frighten the Pharisees and priests. Told primarily from the point of view of Judas, who remains faithful yet deeply wary that Jesus is rocking the boat too much, it tracks his eventual betrayal leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Luke Street, Ricardo Afonos, and the Jesus Christ Superstar Company | Photo by Zeus Martinez Photography

Completely sung-through, the musical relies on clarity of words and and the power of the emotions as told through song so the story and its emotional weight relies heavily on the performers and the way they interpret each song. Some treat the show like a concert – singing beautifully but losing out on the narrativity of the music – while others successfully carry the story through.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Javon King and Grant Hodges | Photo by Vitt Salvador

On the gala night, Javon King’s Judas was an instant standout , singing magnificently while still breathing into the songs Judas’ anger, resentment, guilt, and pathos into the role. Meanwhile, Joshua Bess’ Jesus Christ struggled through the first act but found his voice in the second; however, he was ultimately outshined by many of his co-stars, tilting the production even more towards Judas’ story.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Joshua Bess, Gab Pangilinan, and the Jesus Chris Superstar International Tour Company | Photo by Vitt Salvador

The imagery of Sheader’s revival places Jesus and his disciples in gray sweatpants and hoodies – making them look like Millennials or even Gen Zers – evoking the vibe of social media radicals changing the world through Jesus’ progressive teachings. Bess’ Jesus has a tendency to mope and cast his anxiety onto his disciples, frequently reproaching them and complaining that none of them truly care for him. He comes off as a popular influencer who has grown exhausted by fame and the burden of leading his flock.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila | Jesus Christ Superstar International Tour Company | Photo by Vitt Salvador

On the other hand, Judas constantly pushes Jesus to be less radical, aware of how he is ruffling feathers, especially among the Pharisees and the priests. Dressed as they are, singing to rock music against a bleak, bare stage design, the production feels like a direct commentary on today’s society: the way that the youth are trying to bring down the old ways while the old guard does whatever it takes to stay in power.

I really appreciated this tone and imagery. Drew McOnie’s demanding choreography is very hard-hitting and intensely physical, using ripple-effect movements that begin with a single dancer and then copied by one performer to the next. This creates a visual metaphor, making the energy of Jesus’ words feel infectious, moving from one person to the next.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Gab Pangilinan | Photo by Vitt Salvador

Other standouts included Gab Pangilinan as Mary Magdalene, who managed to find the right balance between the production’s message and the music’s over-the-topness.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Luke Street & Gab Pangilinan | Photo by Zeus Martinez Photography

She just melded quite well into Sheader’s vision and sang my favourite songs from the musical.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Gab Pangilinan and Joshua Bess | Photo by Vitt Salvador

The other stand out is Erick W. Schleck as King Herod. His lone number was a show-stopper with Herod in spectacular gold frock that feels very much like a drag queen, performed with such bravura that it rightfully deserved the thunderous applause that followed.

Jesus Christ Superstar Manila Production | Ricardo Afonso and the Jesus Christ Superstar Company | Photo by Zeus Martinez Photography

On a personal level, Jesus Christ Superstar is not my favourite of musicals. Having grown up on the music of Neil Young, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, and other 1970s rock bands, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brand of 1970s rock doesn’t quite hit the mark for me – though I have always loved all of Mary Magdalene’s numbers. Because the show is entirely sung-through, the musical is dependent on the performers really carrying the story through the singing and if someone doesn’t do their part, the show struggles.

But it is a spectacular show. With King, Pangilinan, and Schleck on stage alongside a powerhouse ensemble – there’s a lot to see and enjoy. Sheader’s direction, especially of his striking treatment of Judas’ suicide and how he blocks and envisions the ending, is quite a theatrical feat. Ultimately, listen to the music and if 1970s rock opera is your jam, then this is a show you will enjoy.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Catch Jesus Christ Superstar on stage until May 31! Don’t miss this sleek, hard-hitting reinvention of a theater classic. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of the rock opera or looking to experience its brilliant modern staging for the first time, this production is a must-watch spectacle. Don’t miss the phenomenon, grab your tickets now at Ticketworld.

May 17, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Departing From Her Usual Style, Director Irene Emma Villamor Presents ‘Midnight Girls’ as a Film About the Strength of Women in an Exploitative Industry

Of all of the films in Irene Emma Villamor’s filmography, Midnight Girls is the film that feels completely different, a heavy departure from her usual movies about the complex nature of love. This is a different kind of love story, one that explores what is at the core of friendships amongst Filipina entertainers in Nagoya, Japan. It is an ensemble film, featuring four strong performances from its lead cast: Jodi Sta. Maria, Sanya Lopez, Jane Oineza, and Loisa Andalio.

Almost plotless, Midnight Girls follows four women working in a hostess bar in Japan. Vicki (Sta. Maria) the most mature of the group, sending money to a son with whom she no longer has any real relationship after being gone for so long. She is practical and rational, but years in the working abroad have left her cold, despite her role as “older sister” to the others.

Paris (Lopez) is the explosive one, wearing her heart on her sleeve and carries the story of falling in love with a local man.

Saki (Oineza) faces an identity crisis, while the work forces her to be intimate with men, she finds herself gravitating to Paris. Finally, Wanna (Andalio) is the newcomer who left home and a boyfriend, to earn a living to send money back home.

Each woman becomes representative of the specific struggles hostesses face in this industry. Villamor takes a very interesting approach, investigating each character’s emotional struggle without delving into the inherent exploitation of the work involved. This is not an exploitation film, nor does this film attempts to paint these women as victims. Instead, Villamor is more deadset on navigating their emotional space, detailing their highs and lows, and humanizing them.

The exploitation is implied – though never spoken about – and is always at the periphery but never made present. This is not that kind of movie, and while there are other films tackle that aspect of these women’s lives head on. Instead, Midnight Girls centers its characters as people with hopes, dreams, fears, and regrets. The human aspect is front and center.

Villamor intersperses the film with actual interviews of women who are later revealed to be the inspirations for these characters. By merging the real people behind the fictional characters, the film sidesteps the need for melodrama. While the narrative occasionally skirts toward that territory, Villamor is too sophisticated a director to let go of her restraint.

What I do miss is the director’s signature capacity for capturing the full complexity of her characters on screen. With four main characters – though Sta. Maria serves as the film’s foundation and really holds it all together – Villamor can only really touch the surface of each character, rushing certain narrative beats in order to give everyone their due within just under two-hour runtime. Had the film focused on a single character, Villamor’s trademark writing and directing style would have undoubtedly unearthed the best and worst of these people and would do it incredibly well but as an ensemble piece, we only get fragments of the bigger story. This is still a style and structure that Villamor has yet to continue to practice getting better at it.

Ultimately, the film as a whole is a gorgeous love letter to these women. Elevated by incredible performances all around – especially by Sta. Maria and Oineza – Midnight Girls has moments that will make you both laugh and cry. As the film just flows steadily on, allowing time to pass and letting the women grow within their profession and all its challenges.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Curious to see Irene Emma Villamor’s new direction? Experience the heart and sisterhood of Midnight Girls on the big screen. Find showtimes here.

May 14, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: For the Fans: A Review of ‘Mortal Kombat II’

I don’t even remember the 2021 film Mortal Kombat, which Mortal Kombat II is the sequel. However, this latest release from the franchise leans so heavily into its video game lore and mode that you don’t need to have seen the first film (or even remember it) to follow the story. It’s not completely bonkers that it shifts gears into the level of camp; Mortal Kombat II is not taking itself too seriously, either. It knows its selling points: it has characters to present, action sequences to highlight, and brutal kills to show off that is reminiscent of the video game the whole IP is based on.

The story begins in the past, detailing how Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) and Kitara (Adeline Rudolph) joined the side of the Outworld, led by Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford). This piece of history explains how Outworld conquered the realm of Edenia. A decade later, Outworld is after Earthrealm, and Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) gathers his champions to prepare for Mortal Kombat to protect the planet. His champions include returning characters Sonya (Jessica McNamee), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), and Cole Young (Lewis Tan). They travel to Earth to recruit a new champion: washed-up action star Johnny Cage (Karl Urban). While the tournament will decide the fate of Earthrealm, but there are things happening underneath the surface that threaten to change the outcome of the game.

(From left) Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, and Karl Urban as Johnny Cage in “Mortal Kombat II”
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Mortal Kombat II is a fast-paced fantasy and action-adventure film that feels thin on story, largely because it works too hard to give every character a chance to have their moment. Kitara begins the story and has the character with the clearest goal, yet she lacks a true character arc. Those arcs belongs to Johnny Cage and Kitara’s bodyguard and friend, Jade (Tati Gabrielle). However, the narrative is crowded: Liu Kang gets his moment, Kano (Josh Lawson) is resurrected and he gets a lot of screen time because his character is so fun and there’s a lot of plot going on in Shao Kahn’s group involving Quan Chi (Damon Herriman) and Shang Tsung (Chi Han). Consequently, the film never really feels grounded; Johnny Cage’s character development is often glossed over with a punchline, while Jade’s story is the most developed but her character is relegated to a supporting cast.

Adeline Rudolph as Kitana in “Mortal Kombat II”
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

And because this is Mortal Kombat, we see the return of Sub Zero/Bi Han (Joe Taslim) and Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada). Of course, they too have to have their moment.

Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion in “Mortal Kombat II”
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Since the movie is really meant for entertainment and to deliver fan service, there’s quite a number of logical inconsistencies that I’m willing to forgive. However, what I’m expecting, though, is really good fight scenes which the film delivers inconsistently. I’m not that sure of Karl Urban’s ability to fight but his fight scenes are the ones that are the most heavily edited to try and hide the switching of a stunt double. Many of Rudolph’s fights (except the one with Johnny Cage) and that of Gabrielle were fun to watch but the real gem is the fight scene between Liu Kang and Kung Lao (Max Huang). It is fast, the choreography is stunning, the editing allows the viewer to still see the action, and it was dynamic without being overshadowed by the special effects. It’s this kind of fight scene that I hoped to see more of, yet there wasn’t a lot of it.

Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn in “Mortal Kombat II”
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Because the film felt like it was intended for fun and fan service, the finale dragged on for quite a bit as two different storylines. In the form of two different fight scenes, The constant cutting back and forth between these two battles extends the action beyond what feels comfortable. But as one-character bows out, another takes their place, and the scene extends some more. It gets a little out of hand. Ultimately, Mortal Kombat II is chaotic, messy, has a lot of story inconsistencies or easy plot fixes, and the fight scenes are not at all balanced out. However, for serious fans of the lore, there is still a lot here to enjoy. The audience at my screening were obviously fans, taking the time to ask questions about where this character showed up and if what’s mentioned is part of the official story canon or not.

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

The tournament has begun! Grab your popcorn and catch the chaos at a theater near you. Check out the latest Mortal Kombat II showtimes here.

May 13, 2026