Before we start, take a look here, where I (and many other bloggers, film writers and critics) vote on the top Filipino short films of 2015. More categories for that poll are coming up, so keep tuned in to that blog for more.
In judging short films for this best short of 2015 poll I posted earlier, I watched/rewatched the following short films over the past week and a half. Since I kept a list of what I watched, and a good number of the films I watched/rewatched don't have reviews on this blog, I might as well do the ultimate Short Short Shorts* Review Compilation for all these 2014/2015 short films and give a few short sentences on how I felt about them.
*Okay, some were not that short.
WARNING: THIS WILL BE A REALLY LONG POST.
We Want Short Shorts Filipino Short Film Short Review Compilation of the Universe 2015
Ang Lihim Ni Natividad
This film is a relatively simple tale about a girl trying
to break out of cultural and (especially) religious norms. Overall it’s
average. Also, keeping super secret notes under your bed (and sloppily at that)
practically invites a look see. 2.75/5
Ano ang Halaga ng Pangalan
This experimental short examines the evolution (or
devolution) of our (perhaps cultural) identity in the midst of industrialization/modernization.
Anyone who reads this blog knows that experimental is not my cup of tea but
this one belongs in the upper half of the experimental lot. 2.75/5
Cold Sand
As a letter from a daughter to her father, it’s
narratively simple, but the filmmaking at play really makes the final product
extremely effective. It’s also unique in that there are no visible Filipino
actors in this film. 4/5
Huling Pagninilay
What outlines the creative process? If this film is any
indication, it’s the creation of frames within frames and typewriters (or
whatever modern equivalent) clack-a-lacking all night long. ART/5
Maestro Basurero
The first documentary on the list. Although in watching
the film you really feel for the guy, the filmmakers treat the film’s subject
with dignity. It’s a sad but strangely inspiring story. 3.5/5
Dead Stars
The original short story is a classic and required reading
in my college class (so long ago…) This loose adaptation of the source material
holds up, but the deep bittersweet sense of nostalgia in the original story
just doesn’t click as well here. 3.25/5
Run Manila Run
It’s really funky. I dig it. 3/5
Tao Po
What seems like a straightforward story ends with a nice twist
that is darkly comical, the kind of punchline that is part fremdschämen, half laughtrip.
Other than that I like the visual style of the advertisements for the lottery. 3.75/5
***
The next few films were made for Cebu’s Sinulog Festival,
so expect the Santo Nino as a theme.
Dare to Live
Wow. Did an atheist write this? Because while the first
part of the documentary was depressing enough, the end narration felt like a
punchline to a sad joke. What I got from this depressing documentary is that
God will screw up your life, destroy your house, and then kill you with cancer.
Yay God! I guess I'm not part of the intended audience. That said, the film was
relatively well made. 3/5
Operation Prutas
I had seen Operation Prutas on Viddsee last year. It’s
still pretty awesome. It’s short, it has the theme of Santo Nino without being overly
zealous, and it’s also real funny at times. 4/5
Sangpit
A collection of inspirational stories from devotees to
the Santo Nino. It’s at least way less depressing than Dare to Live. 3.25/5
Pahiyom Alang Kay Evelyn
There were a lot of invisible ninjas cutting onions when
I watched this film. The film touches on a lot of subjects (even Martial Law!)
but its main plot is about a girl who loves taking pictures with her dad. It’s
also about someone from a dying profession struggling against the current of
modernity and technological change. Sure, the movie gets a bit too dramatic at
parts but overall (thanks to the actresses playing the main character,) I loved
it. 4.25/5
***
#justlanded
This decently shot
film tells us that it really is more fun in the Philippines. The foreign
actor was ok. Also, really getting to know a place intimately instead of
superficial tourism is far more rewarding in the end. And as a final Aesop, as
my girlfriend said, “Don’t bring out your cellphone in Carbon.” 3.25/5
Himig Ayala
This is a very informative documentary, if only because we see what’s
going on inside Joey Ayala’s head when he’s making these great songs. 3.75/5
Gulong
This documentary is about a community of skateboarders,
and how one of them wants to pursue a career as a librarian. His dreams and
aspirations show us that these skateboarders aren’t just a group of people
aimlessly drifting through life, and their interactions together show that
these are a group of folks that just want to find a place to belong to. 3/5
Imahe
Soliman Cruz showcases his immense talent with his turn
as a husband trying to give his all for his family in the wake of the death of
his wife. There’s an alternate interpretation of the film, where the family may
or may not be real, which makes the film far darker than it already is. But even
shown as is, it’s pretty great. 4/5
What is a Day
The film’s showcase of grisly scenes set in a
slaughterhouse juxtaposed with poetry may seem strange at first, but it starts
to make sense as the film goes on, and you make the thematic connections
between image, verse, and film in such a way that it feels rewarding. 2.5/5
Iris
It is obsession, pain and pleasure in silence and madness.
I have the weirdest boner. 3.25/5
My Revolutionary Mother
Another really good documentary. It’s a very personal
story between mother and son, and it’s not only about her revolutionary past,
but also how the times have changed her, and how her determination to give her
children a good life means everything. 3.75/5
Gloria
And shortly after My Revolutionary Mother we have this.
Its treatment of its subject, an elderly lady suffering from dementia, is done
with respect, and it explores not only the patient, but also the effect of her
illness on the family she is leaving behind, one forgotten memory at a time. 4/5
Fib
For some reason, the girl never turned the other
direction for me. Anyway, its message is pretty clear once the primary question of the
film is asked, and it lingers as we scan the picture for invisible thieves. 3/5
Takay
This short, about a mysterious disappearance, has a few
good moments but didn’t really leave that much of an impression on me. 3/5
Halimaw
The CGI is okay for its level, and the message is fun,
but compared to other local animated shorts I’ve seen throughout the year, it
ends up merely being okay. 2.75/5
Gravity
Visually, one of the most gorgeous experimental shorts in
this lineup. But the words that accompanied the images sounded too edgy for my
taste. 3/5
Ang Kapitbahay Ko sa 2014
It’s a relatively lighthearted short compared to many
others in this group, but it succeeds in creating a very rich, funny and
poignant story without saying anything at all (at least until the very end.) 4/5
This is way too long for just one blog post. Expect around 2-3 parts total for this one. Till next time!
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