#is it entirely out of character for Carlos Reyes a man of many secrets

[doublel27]

TK constantly acknowledges that he fucks up, apologizes, and he calls himself names while doing so. He apologized and called himself "crazy" for not responding well to Carlos's surprise date in season 1. He apologized and called himself a "bitch" for being upset that Carlos didn't introduce him to his parents in season 2. He tried to apologize for fighting with Carlos in season 2, and Carlos said something about agreeing not to, meaning that they had talked about it. He apologized and said that he "screwed up" for talking to Iris now in season 4.

Idk what show you are watching, honestly.

Yes. TK does. TK has also been in therapy since he was seven (even if he’s mostly applied those strategies after rehab), has two parents who were in law school and process everything verbally even if it’s not effective. TK has better skills around communication and always has. I’ve argued that since I started watching the show. There’s several metas.

But no one drags him through his fuck ups, he owns them naturally and in some cases, I think he over apologizes. TK drags himself through his fuck ups. But I think TK is used to being, occasionally, the most functional being in the room with his parents and does a lot of managing of situations. He’s always apologizing and sometimes over apologizing. It’s who TK is.

Carlos, meanwhile, does not process verbally. He never has. He sits and stews. He gets petty and doesn’t own his parts. He’s a perfectionist who is terrified that if he’s wrong or fucks up he won’t be enough or loved and is driven to be the best he can to the point he occasionally lies or gaslights people in order to not own his shit. He’s been like that since season one.

He has two parents who he came out to at 17 who never mentioned it again, even with him turning around and getting married at 18-20 and that marriage rapidly falling apart. Like? They don’t talk. About anything. We see it in how stoic Gabriel is in 2.08 and is shocked when Carlos lashes out. Carlos says that the most emotional he’s ever seen his father is 2.12 after the arson. Even in 4.04 TK takes a moment to lash out at Gabriel for keeping everything so close. This is the man Carlos has been trying to impress his whole life. Gabriel Reyes is a man who very clearly believes actions speak a lot louder than words and Carlos is very similar.

Carlos has also, to my knowledge, never been in therapy. TK is the better communicator (I’ve said that since I’ve started watching the show). He’s been slowly learning communication skills from TK. We’ve seen such a change from season 1/2 when Carlos would call TK crazy for holding boundaries or pretending TK’s assessment of meeting the parents wasn’t weird. Instead we’ve seen a progression to season 3 where Carlos doesn’t entirely pretend everything’s fine but opens up before TK disappears in 3.13. We get a man in season 4 who doesn’t try and fix it without telling TK but goes to him and tries to come up with a plan.

Carlos does not tend to apologize verbally like TK. He apologizes, most frequently, through action. We see it in 1.03 when Carlos asks TKK out on a real date instead of trying to manufacture a date out of a booty call. We see it in 2.12 when TK tries to apologize for the fight at the firehouse and he’s cooking dinner and tells TK to leave it. We see it in 3.04 where he immediately takes TK home and has already moved TK in. We see it in 3.13 when Carlos calls Cooper and puts a pizza in the oven and leaves.

The only real verbal apologies we get out of him is, aside from stupid things when TK almost died, is the one about his parents which required TK pushing him not once, but twice on the issue. TK did call himself a little bitch (but he wasn’t fucking sorry about it) and told Carlos how unsafe he felt because of Carlos’s actions and that’s when Carlos apologized. He often needs to be confronted with how his actions affect people to apologize and there wasn’t time for all that processing here.

They’re both petty bitches and I love that so much.

That’s the show I’m watching. I’m not surprised Carlos was icy in 4.03. He’s icy whenever he’s upset, even if it’s himself he’s mad at. He projects his anxieties like crazy. While I think TK felt blamed and blamed himself (because he always does even if it’s not his fault - with like everyone including his parents) I think knowing Carlos, he mostly blamed himself, and took it out a little on TK, which isn’t cool mind you, it’s not okay. But my boys are both fuck ups in their own right and I love them an insane amount.

Y’all Carlos Reyes is a man who cooked a full candle light meal after sending the equivalent of a “you up” text. This is a man who bought a whole ass condo without telling his partner after they’d agreed not to buy it. Like…I don’t know why any of you expect this man to have communication skills. He has to be pushed into literally every conversation/speech he’s ever had about his feelings. I don’t know why TK thought Carlos could even deliver a heartfelt speech to their friends about being engaged. It’s not his style.

But TK has them in spades. It’s one of the reasons they work together. Like puzzle pieces. So…yes. I will keep them and I don’t need to be hit over the head with Carlos’s fuck ups because I’ve witnessed them from 1.02…he’s always been a mess y’all. He just pretends really well and I love him for it.

He still needs therapy.

[thewingedwolf]

my opinion, like many in the fandom, is that Buck has always been a little bi coded, and I think handling it like the way abc handled Rosa Diaz being bi, by simply having Buck drop some information he’s always known about himself but never been comfortable sharing, would be a decent way of handling it. for one thing, having both buck and eddie go through a gay panic thing would be a lot for one season, and maybe a bit repetitive, and I think it would be perfectly in character, while adding a really lovely layer to Maddie & Buck’s relationship, that Maddie has always known Buck was bisexual, and has attempted (maybe awkwardly) over the years to get Buck to be more comfortable with it. I also think it would add a really wonderful layer to Buck and Chim’s relationship (again, to make the b99 comparison bc this is a textbook “if i had a nickel for every time a beloved, diverse show involving police officers got canceled by fox and picked up by ABC bc beloved diverse shows with a really active fan base are their bread and butter i’d have two nickels” situation lol), the same way it was a natural & moving way to have the first person Rosa came out to be Charles, if Chim finds out because Buck needs to talk to Maddie about how he and Eddie had a stress induced make out on Eddie’s couch and then Eddie had a panic attack over being gay, and Chim is there trying to connect the dots of this conversation & be supportive bc Buck is anxiously mumbling while bear hugging Jee in his kitchen. And “Buck has been bisexual the entire time” leaking out to the rest of the 118 has a lot of potential; we know they’re all gossipy & nosy about each other, and Chim is terrible at keeping important secrets, so Hen & Bobby piecing it together from Buck‘s sudden interest in LA Gay Culture & Chim’s nervous stuttering, while Ravi is like “happy that you’re comfortable enough to come out to me Buck but again, i do not need to know this much detail about your personal life” all of this just seems like a very natural, easy way of getting Buck to come out.

and that leaves the Gay Panic storyline to Eddie, lmao. because whether they decide to go with the common fandom idea of “eddie is gay but due to being a really macho dude from Texas, born into a family of very typically ‘we will always love you no matter if you’re straight or choose to be gay’ esque family, has been heavy repressing it all these years” or they decide to make him bisexual, it’s clear that Eddie’s continued wild misses at dating women, panic attacks over the idea of being with a woman, and naming another man as the caretaker of his child in case he dies, that Eddie is primed to have an absolute break down if he ever comes out. Is it very similar to Carlos’ story? Yeah, obviously, but they’re incredibly different people, and more than that, the type of family they come from is incredibly common in this day and age, and whereas we’ve seen the fallout of all the shame that comes with feeling like your parents love isn’t unconditional wrt Carlos, we never saw the initial, badly handled coming out that prompted this break in the Reyes family, and we would be seeing that with Eddie and the Diaz family! not only that, but we have Hen & Toni there to help Eddie (and his parents & pepa & abuelita) through it, to help them handle what are bound to be difficult conversations on Eddie’s history of dating women his family will like that he has minimal interest in, and what happens now that Eddie is once again testing the unconditional aspect of his family’s love.

And that’s not even touching The Bobby And Athena Of It All, from Bobby once again relating to Eddie’s struggles of “what do you do when you feel like the core of who you are has shifted and everyone else is standing still” to Athena having intimate knowledge of the effect of coming out late in life, after you’ve lived a whole life as an ostensibly heterosexual man. We could get a really touching scene between Bobby & Athena and Buck, discussing how this is something he’s always known but it’s just been easier to let it go unsaid even if he knew Bobby and the rest of the 118 would be loving and supportive if he ever came out. Imagine the jokes re: Buck, Eddie, AND Hen being the messiest gays in LA while Ravi is begging them to Say Less.

I think the storyline potential of “Buck and Eddie impulsively make out after a stressful call in ep 1 and then skirt around their feelings for at least half a season” can be really rich, and also kind of in line for how abc has handled a character who got popular for being bi coded, and I’m not saying i trust them to not be cowards about it, but I am saying they shouldn’t be cowards about it.

[studentsofshield]

Pick of the Week and Comics Reviews for the Week of 4/26/17

By Vincent Faust

This was originally published on the date in the title derp

It’s new comics day, everyone! For those totally unaware, the majority of comics come out in a serial format. A single comic is usually called an issue, though there are other weird nicknames like singles, floppies, etc. Major publishers put out their several series once a month. Though the different series are spread out so that product is coming out every week. Special issues called annuals even come out to cover that “13th month” of uneven weeks.

Today I will be reviewing some of the major releases of this week. After reading and reviewing all of them, I will also select a “pick of the week” as the standout issue. At the end I will also make some recommendations about new collected editions that have come out this week.

Pick of the Week: Flash 21 Writer: Josh Williamson, Artist: Howard Porter

5/5

This is how you do a fantastic comic book. Rebirth, baby, let’s go! The DC Universe that everyone knows and loves is on its way back to us. There are so many things to discuss here and I also don’t want to spoil much.

Howard Porter’s art is gorgeous. His representation of Barry’s super speed is gorgeous, though we already know that from his run on the title with Geoff Johns over 10 years ago. We also get a shot of the gruesome corpse of Eobard Thawne, the Reverse Flash. A bruised and bandaged Bruce Wayne also highlights Porter’s versatility. He also admirably handles some flashback peeks in a time travel sequence.

A Watchtower “lost and found” scene shows off so many Easter eggs. What to think of some of these? Meaningless background art or a hint at what is to come? These are clearly the costumes of Hourman, Star-Spangled Kid, and Doctor Midnite. A Rocket Red #7 suit is also seen, which specifically refers back to the 1980s JLI iteration of the character. As opposed to the Generation Lost/New 52 version. The issue also opens with another Johnny Thunder scene.

The final page reveal is insane. Reading this issue makes me realize how much I love these darn characters and how giddy I am that DC is finally taking steps after seven years to make things right again. Perfect.

Action Comics 978 Writer: Dan Jurgens, Artist: Carlo Barberi

5/5

This is continuing Dan Jurgens’ aftermath story following the Reborn crossover saga. Clark is checking through Fortress of Solitude memories to determine what all has changed in his past thanks to the merging with the Superman of Earth-Prime. He basically has phantom memories. This allows Jurgens to do some refreshing on the origin and clarify what is in continuity and what isn’t.

Readers get a jaw dropping splash on page 6 showcasing many of his villains and eras. Electric Blue Superman is notably shown. Darkseid is drawn in his Jack Kirby style. Manchester Black is even here (obviously specifically nodding to What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way from Action Comics #775). We even get to see the trunks on for a second.

Jurgens basically runs us through the major emotional moments of his original 1990s tenure on the Superman books. From his proposal to Lois, revealing his secret identity, to his death at the hands of Doomsday, to the marriage.

The book ends with Mr. Oz teasing something for Clark and Hank Henshaw forming his Superman Revenge Squad with Eradicator, Metallo, Blanque, and soon to be Mongul.

The Superman books are going through a really exciting period right now. Just like many of DC’s characters. But Supes is at his best he’s been for probably a decade. Truly magical work.

Blue Beetle 8 Writer: Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, Artist: Scott Kollins

3/5

This has been the lowest selling Rebirth title from its debut to its most recent issue. It’s really a shame that it isn’t clicking with readers considering the all-star classic creative team. Though maybe it’s precisely that traditional feel that is holding the book back.

One thing the old school style has going for it is a meaty feeling. I don’t get the same feeling reading this issue that I did from the X-Men books. Not much decompression here. Lots of dialogue and action is packed into this little package.

The title page describes “the reunion of one of the greatest teams in comic book history.” I got really excited and thought it was going to be the return of Booster Gold. But it was referring to DeMatteis joining the creative team as scripter. I haven’t read enough of the previous issues to determine if this marks an improvement.

The final page of Jaime Reyes putting on Ted’s classic Blue Beetle suit is giving me more of those great Rebirth feelings. Check out my post on Rebirth dream books to hear what I think could save this book (it’s Booster Gold).

Justice League of America 5 Writer: Steve Orlando, Artist: Andy MacDonald

2/5

Nothing offensive about this issue. Nothing to write home about either. I still don’t totally understand why this specific lineup has been assembled as the splinter Justice League team. Seems like they’d be better off called the Outsiders. Ryan Choi gets so little attention. As do pretty much everyone on this team. Characterization is completely lacking. As a Philadelphian, I was annoyed that Ray’s home city was teased but the change was not actually acknowledged. Not much else to say about this book. Doesn’t pique my interest much.

Suicide Squad 16 Writer: Rob Williams, Artist: Tony S. Daniel

2/5

First of all, I have not read most of this series. I admit complete bias before cracking this issue open. I don’t think the Suicide Squad has been interesting since John Ostrander left it in 1992. There have been worthy successors like Gail Simone’s Secret Six and Greg Rucka’s Checkmate as far as DC Universe political intrigue and bad guys turned sorta good stories go.

I also think that DC completely ruined the franchise with the New 52. Presenting the book as a core flagship and making Harley Quinn a featured character deflates all of the tension and entire premise of the book. DC considers Harley their “fourth pillar” after Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. So the entire point of the Suicide Squad – that a member could die at any minute – is made moot.

DC tapped Jim Lee to initially draw the Rebirth iteration of Suicide Squad. Which obviously indicates they see it as a blockbuster title. Which makes sense from a business perspective given the recent (crappy) film adaptation. But Lee is not a good fit for this title. I also think he tries to return to something close to his 1990s X-Men/Wildcats aesthetic when on major books nowadays. Something has happened and that style of his has been rough on everything since All-Star Batman and Robin.

Enough rambling and onto the actual book at hand. Right off the bat on the cover I spy atrocious costumes for Harley and Deadshot. Katana has some obnoxious TnA perspective going on. On the interiors, Tony Daniel is at least a step up from the misplaced Lee.

The most interesting character here is Lex Luthor in his new status quo. The Squad infiltrate his complex while Amanda Waller talks him up. All to receive some Kryptonite so that General Zod can join the Squad. Because that is sure to work out.

X-Men Blue 2 Writer: Cullen Bunn, Artist: Jorge Molina

3/5

I still don’t care about these versions of the Original Five. Across Bendis and Hopeless, I was never given a reason to care about this time-displaced Wonder Bread. They’re just boring versions of their older selves. Which of course makes me upset seeing as how Cyclops is my favorite Marvel superhero.

Bunn was clearly born to write Magneto. He’s done fantastic work with the character previously in the Marvel Now era solo series and then in the All-New All-Different Uncanny X-Men. I just wish that he was more of a central character in this book. Jean goes into his mind and Bunn effectively pulls the heartstrings with a Holocaust flashback that was not done in an exploitative way.

Some of the dialogue between the teenagers is iffy. I am not a fan of Jorge Molina’s Jean Grey design. Otherwise, this book felt pretty decompressed. Nothing actually happens, there is no complete story within these pages.

A beginning flashback scene has Jean Grey arguing with Magneto over cooperating. She states that he had battled them over and over again, with his response being “that was a long time ago.” It was for most readers as well. Which is why we don’t care about these characters. But maybe there is a silver lining, with a tasty final page tease.

Though this will likely just turn Magneto into a stock villain again. Here’s hoping Bunn has interesting plans.

X-Men Gold 2 Writer: Marc Guggenheim, Artist: Ardian Syaf

3/5

I’m not going to get too into the Ardian Syaf controversy here. His art is meh in this issue, with some bright spots and some sequences that look really lazy.

We an incredibly abridged fight with the new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Who we learn are joined by Mesmero. Kitty has an awkward exposition scene with Steve Rogers. Are other books not addressing his H.Y.D.R.A. stuff at all yet?

Nightcrawler gets injured, Old Man Logan gets captured. A generic faceless mutant gets shot. Guggenheim is already going overboard with the race metaphor. The new Avalanche and Pyro aren’t explained yet either.

This Brotherhood arc doesn’t have me jazzed to keep reading. It offers nothing new but is also not effectively pulling at my nostalgia for X-eras past.

Reprints

Marvel has a publishing initiative that they call True Believers. It reprints certain classic single issues for a dollar cover price. There are two really cool ones out this week.

One is True Believers: Generation X which collects the debut issue of that titular 1990s X-title. Everyone likes to dig on the 90s era in comics, and especially the X-Men. However, Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo did some wonderful work on this underrated title. Bachalo’s art is on a whole other level of innovative and unique. The characterization of these young mutants under the pen (or rather keyboard) of Lobdell was unparalleled for years. This is obviously being released to coincide with the upcoming Generation X series with limited connections to the originals. I am hoping that this new book does well and motivates someone at Marvel to give fans a comprehensive reprint of this classic.

Another is being labeled as True Believers: X-Men Gold. There actually was previously an X-Men Gold book prior to the ongoing one. It was a one-shot released in late 2013. However, this is not that. This reprints Uncanny X-Men #281. Which is the first issue of the next major status quo after Chris Claremont left the X-Men. This is the origins of the Blue and Gold era which the current X-books are trying to recapture. Beautiful (though very 90s) art by Whilce Portacio. A little less impressive script by some concoction of Jim Lee, John Byrne, and Whilce Portacio. This is before Scott Lobdell came on to give an actual direction to Uncanny X-Men.

Avengers: Masters of Evil Epic Collection

This is the third epic collection of Silver Age Avengers from Marvel. It collects issues 41-56, Annual 1-2. The beginning of this is the tail end of the Kooky Quartet era of Avengers history (though at this point joined by Hank Pym as Goliath). This period then proceeds with classic Avengers like Hercules and Black Panther jumping on. Roy Thomas picked up writing the book in the last epic at #35. He will do lots of character development for Black Panther across his run. This ends right before the debut of Vision. One can actually buy four Avengers epic collections from the very beginning. That’s almost 2,000 pages of classic Marvel action.

Flash by Waid Vol 2

The greatest Flash run of all time. In fact, this specific collection collects The Return of Barry Allen. Which is almost universally considered the best Flash story of all time. A Flash fan would have to be insane to not instantly be on the lookout for this.

Saga Deluxe Vol 2

Everyone loves Saga. I think? Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ smash hit Image title wows most who read it. With its emotional drama and wacky characters. What is there not to love? If you don’t already rabidly pick it up in issues or paperbacks, here’s a sexy hardcover. Or just upgrade. This collects issues 19-36. Which is equivalent to the fourth through sixth trades.

Young Justice Vol 1

Do you like the animated TV show of the same name? With characters like Connor Kent, Tim Drake, Bart Allen, and Cassie Sandsmark. This is the origin of that title and much of its roster of teenage superpowered heroes. This is also a comic written by Peter David. Which means, as long as DC continues printing them, you will have a solid chunk to read and digest. It also means that the characterization and relationships are on point. I’ve been looking forward to checking this out.

Let me know in the comments below what comics you enjoyed this week or intend to pick up.

[sowhatisthisfor]

Filipino films: a starter

When you’re a cinephile, you get to talk to a lot of people from all over the world who share the same interest. You share your all-time favourite films, and speak about your local cinema. 

Therefore, to make sharing easier, I came up with this list of Filipino films I really really really love.

Many Filipinos prefer watching Hollywood movies over local ones because they think all local movies are cliches and are second or third-rate remakes of already existing ones.

But there are far too many good local films available, we just have to give extra effort in finding and supporting them.

Here are just a few of those good films released in recent years:

In no particular order:

1.    Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan (Norte, End of History) [Lav Diaz, 2013]

Drama/Crime/Art house

This is my all-time favourite local film and it’s the most unforgettable to me for a reason I can only share in person because of its utterly weird context. 

Anyway, anyone who has watched a Lav Diaz film would know that his style is visually hypnotizing but is intellectually exhausting. Norte is no excuse. It’s crazy how all the rots of society are presented in this film, yet it tells you that zero-society is even more messed up.

Apart from its complex philosophical and political views, it also seems like every scene, line, off-frame sound, literally every component has a deeper meaning, a metaphor for something. You’ll need four hours to watch this film, and probably a lifetime to dissect it.

Other great films by Lav: Ang Babaeng Humayo, Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis, Melancholia

2.    Thy Womb [Brillante Mendoza, 2012]

Drama/Art house

Brillante Mendoza has already been making noise in the International cinema scene particularly after winning best director at Festival de Cannes in 2009 for his movie “Kinatay”. I am personally not a big fan of him but this particular movie by him still haunts me every single time I think of it. 

Thy Womb is a story of an infertile midwife who loved her husband so much to the point of personally finding a surrogate mother to give her husband a child. This film presents the tradition and culture of Badjao (an indigenous people in the Southern Philippines) too raw and natural. 

People might think that the first half of this film is slow and stuffy, but what Mendoza is actually doing is creating an atmosphere where the audience is slowly transforming into the lead character. By the second half of the film, I am completely captivated and torn into pieces that even a week after watching it, I still find myself crying. And four years later, this film has that same effect on me.

3.     Sana Dati [Jerrold Tarog, 2013]

Romance/Drama 

Jerrold Tarog has made history with his independent film “Heneral Luna” which could easily be the most successful indie film in the country in terms of reach and gross.

A less popular one is “Sana Dati” which is my favourite local romance movie and probably the film I’ve watched the most ever in my life. If you love romance movies and is tired of clichés, then this is the perfect movie for you. 

In this film, the lead character is about to marry a man she doesn’t love, and at her wedding, she suddenly met someone who reminds her of her true love. The premise seems very simple, but the narration of this film is equal parts breathtaking and heartfelt.

4.     Women of the Weeping River [Sheron Dayoc, 2016]

Drama/Art house

This film literally left me speechless, I needed time to recuperate minutes after the credits rolled (this happened to me too after watching Dayoc’s Cresent Rising). In this film set in a remote area in the Southern Philippines, Dayoc insightfully shows the unending violence between two families fighting for their lands where women play vital roles in finding peace. It questions why death is society’s answer to end a war and why vengeance doesn’t exactly justify the deed. It also examines people’s internal battles and our ways of grief.

It is a film about a generational blood feud, and also a metaphor for the unending armed conflicts in Mindanao where the vulnerable is the most at risk, and the strong isn’t really unbreakable. The all non-actor cast delivered raw and believable performances. It has one of the most beautiful endings where it subtly concludes that in war, no one really ever wins. All these witnessed by the weeping river. Perhaps, our land is crying.

5.     Saving Sally [Avid Liongoren, 2016]

Sci-fi/Romance/Art house

The poster of Saving Sally says that it’s a typical love story, and it really meant it. But what’s beautiful about this film is its creative visual style and artistic combination of reality and fantasy to tell a typical story in an extraordinary way. 

In my opinion, this is the freshest and has the most distinct vision I’ve seen in Philippine cinema. It’s after-credit animation is already worth your money. By the end of this film, I found myself wishing to the gods in heaven that Avid Liongoren would not stop creating his craft.

6.     Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B [Prime Cruz, 2016]

Romance/Suspense

I once tweeted that if I can only use beautiful once a year to describe a film, I’ll use it on this one. Prime Cruz’s Ang Mananggal sa Unit 23B is visually very beautiful, you’d initially think of Wong Kar-wai. But apart from its breathtaking cinematography and production design, this film is made of highly-entertaining performances and genius metaphors. 

In hindsight, this is a love story between a Manananggal (our version of vampire) and a normal human being, but it is more than just that. It is a representation of forbidden love in which the world says no because your body structure says you shouldn’t. It’s best line is “May sakit ako (I’m sick)” -- spoken when the secret about the lead’s identity was eventually found out. This is exactly how society claims that being gay is a sickness, and therefore coming out is a major struggle. The entire movie is dedicated to that -- how one person is forbidden to love another just because of how he or she was made. Not many people may have related it to that because on the surface, the film was all about comic fun and romantic entertainment.

7.     Violator [Eduardo Dayao, 2014]

Horror/Thriller/Art house

Violator is the debut film of critic Dodo Dayao that is full of impressive dreamy style. It is a quasi-apocalyptic thriller told in almost independent subplots. 

What I like best about this movie is that it could be the only thriller film that brought me to tears for reasons out of its narrative. As the credits roll, I found myself shaking while fighting my own demons, and it’s really damn scary.

8.     Ari: My Life with a King [Carlo Catu, 2015]

Drama

This one has a special place in my heart because it is a film that centers on traditional poetry set in Pampanga which is a little north of Metro Manila. 

It is a movie that aims to preserve local culture, art, and dialect. However, it is also a film about the search of identity both individually and collectively as a province, and establishing that identity as a whole that could withstand time and be passed on to generations.

9.     On the Job [Erik Matti, 2013]

Action/Crime thriller

Erik Matti is one of my favourite local directors who continues to impress as a filmmaker. On the Job is a sophisticated action/crime thriller based on a true story about prisoners who are temporarily released by jail guards and are hired as contract killers by politicians or anyone equally powerful.

In this film, Matti shows the rot in Philippine society and political structure, and the bullshit that power can do. It has a powerhouse cast who delivered amazing performances to conclude a gritty action-packed movie.

Other films by Erik Matti that are worth mentioning are ‘Honor Thy Father’, ‘Seklusyon’, and my personal favourite ‘Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2′.

MORE RECENT FILMS TO CHECK OUT (not mentioned above):

Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (Jun Lana, 2015)

Imbisibol (Lawrence Fajardo, 2014)

Magkakabaung (Jason Paul Laxamana, 2014)

Sunday Beauty Queen (Baby Ruth Villarama, 2016)

Apocalypse Child (Mario Cornejo, 2015)

And my favourite classics:

Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Lino Brocka, 1975)

Kisapmata (Mike de Leon, 1981)

Oro Plata Mata (Peque Gallaga, 1982)

Burlesk Queen (Celso Ad Castillo, 1977)

Manila by Night (Ishmael Bernal, 1980)

Best of 90s and early 2000s:

Tanging Yaman (Laurice Guillen, 2000)

Dekada ‘70 (Chito S Rono, 2002)

Magnifico (Maryo J De los Reyes, 2003)

Anak (Roy Quintos, 2000)

Muro Ami (Marilou Diaz-Abaya, 1999)

Disclaimer: This is not my top 9 favourite Filipino films. I just chose these movies that could represent different genres in the context of sharing it to people who have zero to slim knowledge of Filipino cinema/culture.