MMFF 2025: First 4 Entries Revealed

The Kingdom Triumphs at the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival with Five Major Awards

All smiles from APT and MQuest team From left -Shayne Sarte, LPS, Piolo Pascual, Sienna G. Olaso, Michael B. Tuviera, DGPI, Jane J.
Basas, Michelle Ngu-Nario, FSG, Camille G. Montaño, Jojo C. Oconer, Nestor Abrogena, PDCP

 

 

 

ISANG HIMALA WINS BIG: 2nd Most Nominated Entry at the MMFF50

 

My Verdict for Metro Manila Film Festival 2024

Movie Review: And the Breadwinner Is...

This comedy film is about a mistaken identity which leads to a promising opportunity when designated breadwinner, Bambi Salvador, played by Vice Ganda, heads home to her own funeral. Turns out, Bambi was robbed by a thief who eventually got into a horrific accident, face crushed but with all of Bambi’s belongings – leaving the authorities and her family to presume it was her. With a 10 million insurance claim under her name on the line, Bambi may finally reclaim their home that was mortgaged due to piles of debt. Bambi, together with her dysfunctional family, decides to keep the ridiculous act of her death in order to claim money that will solve all their problems. Now, Bambi has 40 days to play dead to keep her family alive – with or without her.

 

Movie Review: Topakk

The film is the story of a soldier named Miguel, played by Arjo Atayde, who is a platoon leader assigned in the Southern Philippines. In one encounter with an extremist group, the confrontation turns tragic when all his men are killed in the battle. Witnessing the death of his men pushes Miguel to the edge and goes amok in fighting the enemy with bloodlust and vengeance until finally wiping up the enemies. After his discharge from the army, Miguel is haunted by the carnage. He now works as a security guard and faces a different kind of war. One evening, while on duty in a warehouse, two drug peddlers, played by Julia Montes and her brother enter the warehouse to hide from vigilantes who are pursuing them. Unaware of who the intruders are, Miguel turns the 2 to the squad. When Miguel sees the intruders shot by the vigilantes, the memories of the bloodbath that befell his platoon come back to him. Riddled with guilt, Miguel takes up the fight for the survival of the 2 drug peddlers. Armed with a rusty shotgun, he wades through a gauntlet of fire and bullets. All hell breaks loose in a night when a tormented soul, a sinner and a horde of demons collide.

 

Movie Review: Isang Himala

Isang Himala is a Philippine musical film adapted from the 2018 theatrical production Himala: Isang Musikal.

This musical film is a story about Elsa, a simple woman from the barrio Cupang. During an eclipse, she hears strange sounds calling her and telling her that she has been chosen by the Blessed Mother to heal the sick. When news about her ability to heal people spread, her small barrio became a pilgrimage site for people who wanted to be healed from their physical sickness. As more people believe in Elsa’s ability to heal, her relationship with her family and relatives and the people in the barrio change. The music and lyrics of the songs in the film gives life to the story about the difficulties, hope and unending questions of the people about life and true miracles.

Movie Review: Espantaho

Monet, her mother Rosa and son Keith form a dysfunctional family. They both ended up falling in love with married men. Monet with Jack and Rosa with Pabling. The harvest from the riceland of Pabling helped them survive all these years. When drought reached them, they shifted to the buy and sell of antique products. After the burial of Pabling, a painting appears on their doorstep. This was about the same time that the real wife of Pabling arrives along with her 2 children claiming the land that her family owns. However, during the nine days of the “pasiyam”, people disappear one after another. Fearing for their lives, Monet and Rosa do everything to find out the cause of the disappearances. In doing so, utmost betrayal is slowly unraveled.

Movie Review: The Kingdom

King Lakan Makisig (Vic Sotto) of the Kingdom of Kalayaan faces a looming succession crisis as he struggles to choose the rightful heir among his three children.

His eldest son, Magat Bagwis (Sid Lucero), known for his fiery temper; his daughter, Dayang Matimyas (Cristine Reyes), who has a strained relationship with him due to her romantic involvement with a political adversary; and his youngest, Dayang Lualhati (Sue Ramirez), who enjoys the closest bond with the monarch.

When Lualhati is abducted before her marriage to a Thai prince, a rescue mission led by Bagwis fails. However, an outcast named Sulo (Piolo Pascual) secretly rescues her, sparking doubts about the kingdom’s leadership and putting Sulo's life in jeopardy.
 

Movie Review: Uninvited

Eva Candelaria (Vilma Santos) has spent ten long years meticulously plotting her revenge against billionaire Guilly Vega (Aga Muhlach), the man she holds responsible for her daughter's horrific murder.

With vengeance as her driving force, Eva reinvents herself as a sophisticated socialite to infiltrate Guilly's opulent birthday celebration—a night destined to unravel secrets, lies, and justice long overdue. 

Movie Review: Green Bones

It is believed that green bones found in a person’s cremated remains are proof of a person’s goodness in life. Remorseless criminals could never hold such a bone in their body.

A rookie corrections officer, Gonzaga (Ruru Madrid), wrestles with grief and anger as he faces Domingo Zamora (Dennis Trillo), a criminal on the verge of being released from San Fabian Prison and Penal Farm after being convicted for the brutal murder of his own sister.

Gonzaga finds himself torn between duty and personal emotion, as he raises questions about the nature of justice, the limits of humanity behind bars, and the price of redemption.

Movie Review: Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital

This horror film is about a team of adventurous celebrities who are invited to explore and film in Taiwan’s infamous Xinglin Hospital, one of the most haunted locations in Southeast Asia. What was thought to be a unique opportunity for an adventurous and cutting edge production quickly spirals into a horrifying ordeal – escalating to horrifying levels as the celebrities face paranormal phenomena in every halls, room, and floors reek presence that makes every inch of their bodies want to scream and escape. As tensions rise, the group became fragmented because of their strong personalities, conflicting motivations and they became pawns of a malevolent entity. The celebrities need to make difficult choices and sacrifices to survive their journey in the haunted hospital. 

 

Movie Review: Hold Me Close

Woody (Carlo Aquino), a restless wanderer, has spent seven years traveling the globe in search of a place—and a purpose—to call his own.

His journey leads him to Japan, where he crosses paths with Lynlyn (Julia Barretto), a woman gifted with an extraordinary ability: by simply touching someone, she can sense whether they bring joy or destruction into her life.

Movie Review: My Future You

This is a magical story of 2 people, Lex and Karen, from different timelines – 15 years apart – connected by a mysterious comet through a dating app. As they grow close, Karen asks Lex to change key moments in her past to prevent her parents’ separation. But every change of the past brings unforeseen consequences, altering their futures in unexpected ways. In one last effort, Lex hopes to set things right, but some events may be beyond control.

Get Ready For Reality Horror in Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital

 

FranSeth Nakakakilig Sa My Future You

 

 

MTRCB releases ratings for 10 MMFF films

 

The Kingdom Opens in Cinemas Nationwide this December 25

 

"Espantaho": Chito Roño's Vision Comes to Life with Judy Ann Santos and Lorna Tolentino in Quantum Films' 20th Anniversary

 

Dennis Trillo and Ruru Madrid star in the inspirational drama "Green Bones"