Movie Review: Call Me Mother

Call Me Mother is a touching, funny, and heart-stirring film that explores motherhood, love, and family beyond blood ties. Set against a warm, almost fairy-tale-like visual backdrop that remains grounded in reality, the film delivers a story that is both entertaining and deeply meaningful—perfect for the Christmas season.

The story follows Twinkle de Guzman, a single queer mother who is in the process of officially adopting her son, Angel. Hoping to surprise him with the finalization of his adoption papers, Twinkle plans a celebratory trip to Disneyland, Hong Kong, provided that no one claims Angel within three months. Their peaceful life is shaken when Mara, Angel’s biological mother, suddenly reappears. As Mara begins to form a bond with her son, Twinkle is forced to confront her fears and go to great lengths to prove that she is just as deserving—and capable—of being Angel’s parent. 

Movie Review: I'm Perfect

I’m Perfect is an emotional cry fest—sweet, heartwarming, and refreshingly different. Directed with sincerity and care, the film follows Jiro and Jessica, two adults with Down syndrome, as they navigate everyday life, first love, and the joys and uncertainties of a romantic relationship.

Movie Review: Barboys: After School

Set ten years after the original film, Bar Boys: After School explores the lasting impact of time on institutions, relationships, and individuals. This sequel picks up a decade after the graduation of the original law school barkada—Torran, Chris, Erik, and Josh—who return not just as lawyers but as individuals grappling with the complexities of adulthood. When their mentor, Justice Hernandez, falls gravely ill and faces emotional abandonment by her family, the barkada steps up, alongside a new generation of law students, to support her in her most vulnerable moments. Through this journey, the film delivers a poignant exploration of loyalty, integrity, character, and purpose, reminding viewers that life’s most important lessons extend far beyond any syllabus—we are all forever students of life.

Movie Review: UnMarry

UnMarry is a touching drama that explores the painful journey of annulment, family dynamics, and the meaning of “happily ever after.” Inspired by real-life cases and their impact on children, the film follows Celine (Angelica Panganiban) as she seeks an annulment while fighting for custody of her daughters, and Ivan (Zanjoe Marudo), who is desperate to save his marriage and connect with his son. Their paths cross at a family lawyer’s office, hearts tangle, emotions run deep, and somewhere between heartbreak and coffee, healing begins.

Movie Review: Shake Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins

Shake Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins is brutal, exciting, and bloody. Spanning three eras—1775, 2025, and 2050—the film delivers a complete package of action, horror, and suspense, making it a must-watch on the big screen. It’s exciting to see the long-loved Shake, Rattle & Roll franchise return to the Metro Manila Film Festival, this time with three interconnected episodes that explore the cyclical nature of evil.

Movie Review: Rekonek

Rekonek is a warm, meaningful Christmas film that beautifully explores love, family, and forgiveness in a modern world suddenly cut off from digital communication. Set ten days before Christmas, the film follows six different Filipino families who are forced to reconnect with each other face-to-face during a global internet outage on Christmas Eve. As the world goes offline, Rekonek reminds us of the importance of personal connections, empathy, and truly spending time with our loved ones.

Movie Review: Manila's Finest

Manila’s Finest is a gripping MMFF 2025 crime thriller that transports audiences back to the turbulent 1970s during the First Quarter Storm. Set against a politically charged pre–Martial Law era, the film follows principled Manila Police Captain Homer Magtibay (Piolo Pascual) and his young partner Billy Ojeda (Enrique Gil) as they investigate the murders of troubled teenagers in the slums—an investigation that gradually exposes deeper corruption involving powerful figures, systemic decay, and the widening divide between the rich and the poor.

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.