#ppp2017

Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2017

August 16-22, 2017 has been a great week for us Filipinos because we held our very first Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP). This film festival were able to showcase the talents of our indie film makers and artists! Once my friends and I heard about this, we got really excited because we are a huge fan of indie films! I promised myself that I will watch as much entries as I can but unfortunately due to busy schedule (and limited budget, yes I am still a students hehe), I was able to watch 3 out 10 entries on PPP which are Bar Boys, Patay Na Si Hesus, and 100 Tula Para Kay Stella.  And here are my thoughts on the three movies!

Bar Boys (Rating: 4/5) This movie was the first on my list simply because I myself is a student and I know I can surely relate to this one. And guess what? Relate na relate mga mumshies! This movie is about the law students who struggled to balance everything on law school. There was this line Erik (Carlo Aquino) once said “Dalawang linggo palang ang klase pero bakit parang pagod na ako ng limang taon” and I was like ‘I know the feeling’. This is a must watch not only for law students but for every students who have been struggling in school. This movie will taught us that in order to achieve great things there are sacrifices we should make. These sacrifices can be on love, friendship, or family. It will show different kind of things we will do one point in our life in order to graduate! This movie is simple yet funny and touching.

Patay Na Si Hesus (Rating: 4.5/5) I have been reading several reviews and asking for recommendations on twitter and I got to say this is the most recommended one so I gave it a shot. And I’m glad it didn’t disappoint me. This movie is about a family traveling across the country and all the adventures and crazy stuffs happened to them while traveling. Have you heard the line “Sige! Ito kutsilyo magsaksakan kayo diyan!” from a mom scolding their child. Well yes, you will surely hear this on the movie! This movie will showcase the love of a mother and all the sacrifices she’ll do to raise their children well and that there is no perfect family what is important is we love and accept each other. You will never regret watching this movie! Super funny and full of life lessons.

p.s. this movie is  bisaya, you’ll have to read subtitles.

p.s.s. they have a cute dog with them named Hudas J

100 Tula Para Kay Stella (Rating: 4/5) Who in here will ever let go of watching love stories? Filipinos are fond of watching romance (Yass by Filipino, I mean ME!) You can surely tell this because the line for this one was so long and mostly teens! Originally, I was going to watch Ang Manananggal sa Unit 32, but my friend told me that this movie is soooo good and it’s really worth it so I gave it a try as well. And Indeed, it was worth it! Filipino movies have been stepping up its game when it comes to romance, they have been producing good and unpredictable story lines that’s why I also expect so much from this. (And as I have said before, yes it was indeed worth it!) This movie is all about two college students who love music and poetry. And this guy named Fidel fell in love with the girl in a black lipstick and throughout his college life he was able to write 100 poems to this girl. This movie will taught us to have courage to tell our love ones how we feel because we’ll never know someday it might be too late. It will also show us to never stop doing the things we really are passionate about. This movie is great! You will surely love Fidel. And you will be needing a tissue!

If you haven’t watched these films or any entries on this festival it’s not too late because we still have one day to watch and support these amazing movies (Or maybe more than that because people have been requesting to extend the film festival! Yayy!)

The first time I saw the trailer of 100 Na Tula Para Kay Stella, I really had this idea that this is worth watching. I was so excited because I perceived that the movie will be about poetry, how Fidel will get Stella, and what challenges will Fidel do for Stella. That was my expectation until the very moments that the film is going to start. However, in reality, what we expect doesn’t really happen in real life and that’s what I realized. I would admit it that there had been so many reviews, but I want to share my insight about the film.

Fidel starts the film introducing himself looking at his prepared index card notes, because he has defects in speaking which was seen in the trailer. But, going to a more extensive analysis of Fidel in the beginning; he introduces himself to his classmates and us viewers on what will be a series of transformation throughout the film. People tend to see Fidel as a nerd and weirdo because of his problems in speaking.

By the time he meets Stella, Fidel was surprised when someone like her, who is a rocker, a happy-go-lucky woman befriends and understands him. Stella is one of the people in the film who gave boost Fidel. And in reality, there will be a time that a friend that will come into our lives who has a different outlook in life that will serve an inspiration to us.

Stella’s main goal is to be discovered as a singer; she will do anything to get discovered. As Stella herself confirmed in the film, she used her ex boyfriends to get into the business and it resulted in forgetting her academics as she really pursued her dream. Although Stella heard Fidel singing as she was about to enter the freshman party, even though Fidel denies it throughout the film. Fidel doesn’t really believe that he can sing; but, there was a scene in which Fidel sang with Stella in the park, it started to gain his confidence. By the time Fidel transferred to Manila, his dorm mate Chuck noticed that he had a talent in singing, it made him join a singing organization in his University to hone his singing; which resulted in Fidel developing his confidence.

The film primarily tackles two opposite characters, Stella, who is always in a rush for her singing dreams and not finding ways to improve it. As for Fidel, I saw a character’s transformation; from having no confidence, he slowly gains it and finally developing it. Fidel is not in rushing, as he takes things slowly and knows his value while Stella does not really know her worth.

My advice to everyone base on the two main characters. Be a Fidel, who takes things slowly, develops his confidence, knows his worth, and always not in a rush for everything; don’t try to emulate the Fidel, who in the early parts of the film in considers himself as an inferior because of his speaking disability. Be a Stella, who knows her capabilities in life, a dreamer, and a supportive friend; but don’t copy her since she is in a rush for her dreams, forgets to balance life, and does not find ways to develop her talents. Stella always takes the easy way instead of working hard to know her real worth.

100 Na Tula Para Kay Stella reminds me of 500 Days of Summer. This might be our version of the Marc Webb film. I agree with him when he said that 500 days of summer was a coming of age movie and not your typical romantic movie. For me, it also applies to 100 Na Tula Para Kay Stella but with more depth, because I see the film talks about what pace do we want in our life and that I commend the film.

One of the film’s highlight was its music; it featured mostly Rico Blanco’s songs. It gave me nostalgia of hearing those great songs from a decade ago, back when I was about eight to ten years of age. Still, the songs last decade were far better than these days.