Gone are the days when Philippine cinema is all about how one woman steals someone else’s man. Forgotten themes include cowboy stories where men rob small towns while upon horses. Indie films are now taking over; great storytelling and more complex stories.
“Birdshot” reprograms your mind to discover secrets hidden from you. “Patay Na Si Hesus” teaches us to value life. “I’m Drunk, I Love You” instructs us to take risks and tell people we love them. “Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa” fights for what is right. “Sunday Beauty Queen” makes us thankful for the people who provide for us. “2 Cool 2 Be Forgotten” reminds us of our first love. “Bar Boys” remind us of what friendship is. Every story goes beyond the surface.
7 Exceptional Filipino films to see
Birdshot (2016)
Birdshot is a film by Director Mikhail Red. It focuses on a farm maiden from a rural farm that finds out a secret after breaking the rules set by his father. She enters a reservation forest and kills a Philippine Eagle. This changes her life forever. It takes a lot of guts and bravery to write about the current state of the government and hide it between the lines. The details in Birdshot will make you say, “What is going on?” in the first parts. As a result, it will confuse you and make you want to watch more to know the answer to your question. As a result, it will leave your jaw hanging from amazement.
Cebuano humor-based “Patay Na Si Hesus” is a movie by Victor Villanueva. It talks about an ex-wife driving her whole family in a family cab from Cebu to Dumaguete to be in her ex-husband’s wake. Death is a very sensitive topic. Therefore, if addressed wrong, it can offend people who don’t take it well. But “Patay Na Si Hesus” captured the true idea of death. It’s a celebration. Yes, there might be crying. But it should be about remembering the person whose life was well-lived.
Director JP Habac is a master in hurting his target audience. “I’m Drunk, I Love You” is a film about a UP student who falling in love with her best friend for 7 years. “Time check, hindi ka pa rin niya mahal,” is the best line from “I’m Drunk, I Love You.” We often forget to check the time we lost in loving the people who can’t love us back. But are we to be blamed? “Hindi mo naman kasalanan na hindi mo ako mahal,” said Maja Salvador. So it is our fault after all.
“Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa” is a film by Nestor Abrogena. It is about a student writing a script for film class signifying the end of her relationship with a guy. Accept or reject are the only decisions a script could have. He asked her to revise. But the only thing is, she didn’t. Instead, she ended it. An example of an extreme sport would be loving someone society dictates you shouldn’t love.
Domestic helpers in Hong Kong join beauty pageants on Sundays. They are either doing it for the money, or the chance to release their stress from work and bond. The film captures the ugly-pretty side of working abroad. It’s not always bigger paychecks and luxurious packages. It’s about the things OFWs have to go through to provide for their families left in the Philippines.
2 Cool 2 Be Forgotten (2016)
Kapampangan boy meets amboy from another school who he confuses to like him too. Petersen Vargas is not new in gay-themed films. He directed “TEAM Hanging Out,” a YouTube series by TEAM Magazine. It is about two men meeting through a failed hookup invite. “2 Cool 2 Be Forgotten” is a Cinema One Original film.
Bar Boys (2017)
It’s not enough to look good. What it takes to become successful is to have brains as well. Bar Boys is a 2017 comedy-drama film by Director Kip Oebanda. Four best friends try their luck in entering Law School – a decision that will change their lives forever. It takes you four years to finish Law School but it takes you one wrong move to lose all your friends. Bar Boys shows the value of friendship and how it makes unites people in different ways.