thelostnotes

[thelostnotes]

"Hurop-Hurop Kan Kapadagusan Kan Agi-Agi Kan Gamgam Na Adarna"

Directed by: Kristian Sendon Cordero

A Meditation on the Possible End of the Mythical Bird Adarna. With the talking figurines and the egg being revered as a mythological creature, the Ibong Adarna, I really enjoyed the concept. The production team did an excellent job performing the video in such a little location. The cinematography was also excellent, with a contemporary atmosphere thanks to the neon lighting. It wasn't that much because the script was just reciting the Bikol translation of the Ibong Adarna, but the way the figurines and the egg portrayed it was unique.

But honestly, I am confused at first on what the film wants to convey but as it was flow, I understand what the figurines says. One thing I don't like is the subtitle, I don't like the font that they used to translate the bikol language into english and also it is hard to read because it was small and thin.

‘All in all, I enjoyed with the playing neon colors of the film and how fast the mood, effects and the angle of the figurines changed’.

[thelostnotes]

“BASURERO”

This film is very relevant and timely, the cinematography is amazing, the effect, the mood is very accurate to the scene and emotions of the actor.

Jericho Rosales is a good actor and he did very well to execute the character well, while saying his line its so natural and realistic.

The background music is good, it is not too loud to hear and synchronous to the setting of a film. 'BASURERO' is about Bong, a Filipino fisherman, working in an urban fishing village on the outskirts of Manila. Desperate for cash, Bong dumps bodies into the ocean for the drug war's faceless vigilantes. The story follows Bong after he disposes of the "trash." He wrestles with guilt and tension rises when the killings hit close to home after he discover his neighbor has been murdered for selling shabu (crystal meth).

The story has a lot of lesson and it is an eye opener for us Filipinos. It doesnt mean that because of poverty we’ll going to do illegal things to make money in an easy way even if we know that it will put us in jeopardy and put risk in the life of our family.

I must say that this film is very good in terms of how it was executed, the editing, background music, settings of the story and the actors.

[thelostnotes]

Red Hush, Yellow Riot :

A Special Focus on Vietnam

The short film is a vietnamese film which for me at first is hard to understand because of a two couple which i don't really know what they are doing at the starting point of the film but as the story goes on, the line comes out and it gives me an idea on what the story is all about.

The story is about a Young couple is waiting for a rain like many people are waiting for a glorious victory of Vietnamese football.

The film is like a silence film that you need to understand it well for you to get what the story has to portray. The cinematograpy is good and the effects and mood is okay it's like thay i'm looking for something more about the film but I can't demand because thats the director wants us to see and I appreciate it even the language is vietnamese. I salute the actors because their face is very expressive and you can see what they want to show us.

Overall, the short film ' The Big Day' is simple and unique.

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“No Dogs Allowed”

The short film entitled "No Dogs Allowed" by vanguard filmmaker Le Binh Giang - a filmmaker to watch from South of Vietnam". No Dogs Allowed is part of Red Hush, Yellow Riot: A Special On Vietnam". which I find this comedy.

The cinematography is so cool, the editing is great, the effects and mood is very accurate which makes the movie interesting and excellent. According to Le Binh Giang.

This movie is his ways to tell his homegrown stories. The storyline is good where everything is in chaos when the manager of a No-dogs-allowed steps on dogs poop, but the poop is not just a poop it is extra ordinary and it is golden where it has an extra power.

I like how that background music is synchronous in the movement of the actors and it gives me chill to watch like I laugh the whole time I watch the movie and I realized how happy those people in the apartment doing something that makes them happy while living in a simple life. The effect depends on the story that needs to portray and that was totally good, also the special effects that gives the movie more comedy way.

“All in all, it was a good movie and I love the genre”.

[thelostnotes]

“It Takes Two to Tango”

It is a vietnamese short film that explain a very relevant issue of today. The cinematography of a film is just okay but for me not so good, however the effect and the mood is very accurate to the settings and it gives me more dark or dim mood which for me it symbolizes how devastated the girl is.

The short film is about an early age pregnancy or should I say an unexpected pregnancy of a girl name Lihn who look desperate and miserable because of what happen to her. He got pregnant at the age of 17 and his boyfriend don't have a plan to be responsible for the girl and that makes the girl being depress.

On a depressed day, Linh finds Uyen, her bestie, and both decide to have fun and relax. Seem like Uyen’s world revolves on Linh until the former reveals a secret that made Linh seem like dangling in the middle of an abyss. The line is not that long and every scene is understandable which don't need a script that's why the short film is easy to understand even the language is vietnamese.

On the other hand, the movie portrays the very timely issue nowadays on how teenage pregnancy affect the mental health of a woman specially when your partner cannot accept the baby in your womb.

This gives us a lesson to not give the whole of ourself to someone who don't deserve it, just give it when you're ready and you have a good job when you feel that you are capable enough to sustain the needs of another life.

In the end, the short film for me is not that good. It feels like i'm expecting something, hence, it didn't came out but I understand it easily even it has a short lines but it's okay because it was saved through the mood and effect of the movie.

[thelostnotes]

‘Kasal’ The Commitment

         The movie starts with a strong fight of a two guys which is actually a couple for about 3 years, they are fighting because Sherwin caught Paolo commits infidelity (for Paolo it was just a one night stand, no feelings attached). Sherwin is a lawyer were most of his clients are facing a divorce case which the story wants to connect with the life of these two guys. Paolo is an indie film director who is hopeful that they will become the couple they used to be before and wants to get married.

     As the story goes on, the conflict of the story leads to a miserable one due to the trust issues of Sherwin to Paolo starts to emerge.

       One day, the couple goes to Sherwin's hometown to attend the wedding of his sister, which is just a teenager ‘Mary’ who got impregnated by a teenager boyfriend ‘Bong’. During and after the wedding ceremony, Paolo and Sherwin sees more clearly how their relationship stands in the public eye and making their own decision about it, which is to separate and live their own lives and dreams.

        Overall, the lessons that I’ve got from this movie ‘Kasal’, it is all about trust, honesty and loyalty where trust is indeed the foundation of a relationship, as well as being honest with your loved ones makes the love open and it should always stick together. Lastly, if you want your relationship last, being loyal to your partner should be compelled as it is your commitment by accepting their love. You don’t want to have regrets and make it worst for your last choice, right?  

      These three values are very important for us, especially in love, to be able to have a better and strong relationship.

[thelostnotes]

'KIDLAT'

It is a short movie where it shows the superpower "Kidlat" into a chosen one.

The father of a child is so devastated and miserable because her daughter died on a scene where he saw a man touching his daughter's body using his ‘Kidlat’ power, however, the man’s intention actually is to revive his daughter, but unfortunately he misunderstood the situation until he decided to find those who have a ‘Kidlat’ super power and wanted seek revenge.

One day, he found a lesbian girl who have this kind of power and still hunting and fighting until he murdered it.

He then found another girl and knotted her in the chair and it keeps talking about how he wants to get revenge to them. She got frustrated as she found out while its talking, the man killed her girlfriend, so she uses her power to electrify the killer and fortunately the man died(which is the father who seeks for revenge).

I must say that this short film wanted to tell us that we shouldn't let our anger drove us from our end.

Don't let our emotions justify the things that is not true.

We must be gentler and should investigate all the situations that we experienced because at the end of the day, the truth will always come out and you will get the justice that you wanted to find.

[thelostnotes]

‘MORAL’

This was filmed in 1982 and directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya and written by Ricky Lee.

According on my observation, the film is old and plain because of its effect and story line. The film “Moral” is underrated because of the date it was filmed and some of the older generation can recognize the movie.

It is all about the four women, which studies in the same school at the University of the Philippines, Diliman but has a different path to take and will face the consequences after their graduation.

The film was commenced at the church which is the wedding of Marites and Dodo, they marry each other because Marites is pregnant to her first baby. As the film goes on, it shows that the four women have the same interest that is why they become best friends.

The film go along and you will notice how the characters will build up in terms of their attitudes, lifestyle and their decisions in life.

Before I watch the movie I did my research first to have an idea about morality and the movie is considered as part of a loose trilogy of feminist as the film portrays the different issues which women faced during their time.

The movie shows the issue about drugs where all of them are using it for satisfaction, second is abortion where Joey decides to abort her baby in her womb, third is harassment which Marites felt being used and abused by his husband Dodo and the last one is homosexuality in the character of Kathy, who have been in a sexual favors in her manager JM to keep her as a client, which for me these issues is very timely and relevant to the women’s issue nowadays.

It affects me because I have a lot of friends who have had experience these kind of issues and it was a traumatizing(for them).

The film ends without a strong ending because each one of them solves their own problem and then just be together after.

For me, this movie is an eye opener and a lesson for everyone. Asian Cinevision say that film’s character “find themselves in situations where old values and principles are no longer applied.”

Nowadays, we are in a new generation where we have a new mindset and perceptions. I've learned that our destiny is in our own hands, it is up to us whether we use it in a bad or good way and if we want to have a better future we need to put a hard work on it and never ever give your dignity for someone who is not worthy.

Be wise always because at the end of the day we have our friends whose there for us when we are in the midst of darkness also when we feel that we have no one to talk to.