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This is the blog of Ian Rosales Casocot. Filipino writer. Sometime academic. Former backpacker. Twink bait. Hamster lover.

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Friday, November 25, 2005

entry arrow5:03 PM | Lamangan Update No. 1

Rereviewed Joel Lamangan's Deathrow and Mila, and yes, there were signs of impending nose-bleed, but I managed to hold my nose up in time. But I watched this ...



... for the first time. I purposely missed its original run, because I was already suffering from a Mano Po 3 and Aishite Imasu nausea attack. What can I say about this movie? Flat comedy that goes nowhere fast. Even its "much-heralded" (by whom? by Regal's PR department?) animation sequences are laughable. There are also countless mistakes in the movie that go beyond directorial ineptness. Eric Quizon and Kris Aquino are winsome, at the very least, but there's absolutely nothing to get from this rubbish. There are some funny moments, but it's basically a cheap remake* (complete with the obligatory death scene of the best friend) of the all-time gay film favorite Beaches, starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey -- with the whole dynamics of Will and Grace thrown in for good measure. Come on now, Mr. Ricky Lee, admit the "homage" in your weary script. The singer JayR is largely wasted in a thankless role (where he plays Kris's newest beau), and it was also painful to watch a very woody Cogie Domingo try to wriggle out a performance. It was embarrassing. One of the directors I featured in that post texted me soon after to say that Joel Lamangan and Lily Monteverde actually deserve each other. I asked, "How come Lamangan is so respected in the local film world?" and the answer that came back was: "He is very good at posturing himself as a great director, and convincing other people of that." Oh.

Next: a rereview of Sabel and Walang Kapalit. Just pray that I don't get any more nose-bleed.

* Lamangan seems to be fond of this. In Mano Po 3, the teary scene in the car where Vilma Santos must eventually make her choice between Jay Manalo and Christopher de Leon, is an unabashed copying of a similar scene in The Bridges of Madison Country, where Meryl Streep must also make her choice between her husband and Clint Eastwood. Needless to say, Eastwood's film has more resonance.

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