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Quick Review of Cinemalaya XX Full-Length Films

A very strong lineup.

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The Cinemalaya Film Festival had just concluded, and it finished boldly with a very strong lineup. 

This year’s festival felt different; most of the filmmakers weren’t really aiming for the awards. At least, that’s how it seemed to me. They want to be heard, and invite people to take action. Each film had its own advocacy strong enough to cement the premier independent film festival’s two-decade celebration. 

Overall, I watched six out of the 10 full-length entries in this year’s Cinemalaya. Here are my quick takeaways from each film:

Alipato at Muog by JL Burgos review

 

Alipato at Muog is the only documentary entry to the full-length competition of Cinemalaya XX. I was hesitant to watch it at first, because I tend to get very emotional for stories about real, unsolved cases. I’m glad I gave this a chance. This is a story that deserves to be known by the general public.

As we go on about our daily lives, Alipato and Muog is a reminder that there are big struggles of the Filipino people that we could only imagine. In this case — there are families of victims of enforced disappearances (called desaparecidos) in the Philippines, and they are still grieving up to this day. The saddest part is, the families haven’t received closure decades later. 

A very powerful watch — more so that the director and writer is the brother of the desaparecido in the film.

An Errand by Dominic Bekaert review

 

Initially, I liked the approach of this film. An Errand — a driver (played by Sid Lucero) makes his way to Manila all the way from Baguio City in the wee hours of night. I love long rides myself, and the story has an interesting narration. We get a glimpse of the characters’ backstory through different outtakes.

The cast and crew of An Errand during the Cinemalaya gala and talkback screening

However, I felt like the film was a bit long and dragging. But maybe that is the main message of the film — a metaphor of the long, exhausting hours endured by the working class, only to be exploited by the capitalists over personal (mostly absurd) gains.

Balota by Kip Oebanda review

Six Cinemalayas ago, I cried during the closing remarks of a film at Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo in CCP. The film was Liway, based on a true-to-life story about a political detainee during the martial law era. It was directed by Kip Oebanda, son of the said detainee.

Six years later, Oebanda returns with a new film with another compelling theme. This time, it’s about the Philippine elections. 

The film’s story centers around election season in a small provincial town, and how a public school teacher (played by Marian Rivera) navigates the “dirty” and messy system. She reminds me of my aunt who is a public school teacher, and growing up, I would watch her brave the gruelling system during the elections as a poll watcher. 

The cast and crew of Balota during the Cinemalaya gala and talkback screening

Compared to Liway, the film has a mainstream feel to it (it is co-produced by GMA Pictures). Although, I think it’s a smart move – especially the decision to cast Marian Rivera as lead, and include social media personalities like Sassa Gurl and Esnyr to target the general audience. 

Overall, Balota serves as a great voters education film that deserves to be shown in the mainstream cinema.

Gulay Lang, Manong by BC Amaparado review

 

Out of all the entries this year, Gulay Lang, Manong may have the lightest approach. While it still deals with sensitive and relevant topics like police brutality and social injustice, the film is sprinkled with dark humor and comedic skits. It drew laughs inside the cinema, thanks to its fun cast ensemble. No wonder it got the Audience Choice award. 

Gulay Lang, Manong reminded me so much of the 2018 Filipino film, “Pangarap Kong Holdap” which similarly tackles social issues with a satire comedy approach. There were a lot of easter eggs in this film, and towards the end, it leaves you questioning some of your beliefs about certain issues. In my case, it made me read up on research about medicinal benefits of marijuana.

The cast and crew of Gulay Lang, Manong during the Cinemalaya gala screening

I was present during the gala night and I felt the fun energy of the cast and the audience. Farmers from Pampanga were also there in the gala screening, and you can tell from the vibe that the production team had fun in creating this story. The cast even gave out free tupig (Filipino rice cake) outside the cinema, which is a relevant symbol in the film. 

Kono Basho by Jaime Pacena II review

 

Starting with the opening credits, I knew Kono Basho would be a visual feast. Its director, Jaime Pacena is actually a virtual artist, and it is very evident throughout the film. 

The story’s main theme is grief, and how people navigate its complexities. The Japanese production style is very evident while watching Kono Basho, but somehow the story is injected with Filipino values.

Overall, Kono Basho is simple and straightforward, and what really made it stood out is the beautiful cinematography (director Dan Villegas really nailed it), plus the great acting of the two lead actresses.

Tumandok by Richard Jeroui Salvadico & Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay review

 

My personal favorite from the lineup this year, Tumandok is told in such a way that it doesn’t impose its audience on what to feel. It simply tells a story. While the subject matter is heavy, the filmmakers managed to make it hopeful.

Tumandok is very raw and genuine — and the main reason is that the actors are the real indigenous people themselves.

The cast and crew of Tumandok during the Cinemalaya gala screening

This film has touched my heart and opened my mind about the struggles of our indigenous people. There are important issues brought in this film like social class, politics, and capitalism, among others, but the story was narrated in the most genuine and human way. 

The film was five years in the making, and I say it is worth the wait.

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Now Playing: The Devil Wears Prada 2 — Still sharp, still human

Growth over gloss

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The Devil Wears Prada 2
All images are screenshots from the Final Trailer of The Devil Wears Prada 2

I didn’t watch The Devil Wears Prada when it first came out in 2006.

I came to it a few years later, at a time when I was still figuring things out—career, identity, even the kind of movies I allowed myself to enjoy. It wasn’t something I would’ve picked on my own back then.

At the time, it felt like a story about love versus career. I was about to graduate with a Mass Communication degree, unsure of where I was headed, trying to make sense of both ambition and connection.

Watching it again recently, it lands differently.

It’s less about choosing between two things—and more about understanding who you are, and having the courage to follow that honestly.

That’s what makes The Devil Wears Prada 2 feel so deliberate. It doesn’t just revisit the past. It builds on it.

Growth over spectacle

There’s a version of this sequel that could’ve leaned entirely on nostalgia. Bigger moments. Sharper outfits. A louder version of what already worked.

This isn’t that.

The film is grander, but in ways that feel earned. It embraces the 20-year gap instead of ignoring it, placing its characters exactly where you’d expect them to be—not in status, but in spirit.

Miranda Priestly still commands every room, but no longer feels as unassailable as she once did.

Andy Sachs carries experience. She’s no longer the green assistant, but an accomplished journalist whose relationship with Miranda still shapes her decisions.

Emily Charlton feels fully realized—no longer orbiting power, but owning her place within it.

And Nigel remains a pillar. Dependable to both Miranda and Andy, an almost invisible hand that guides more than it claims.

None of them feel stuck in who they were. That’s the point.

What it says about the work

This is where the film hit me the hardest.

Working in tech media, I constantly see the push toward generative AI—toward making everything faster, more efficient, more scalable. A lot of it is impressive. Some of it is genuinely useful.

But some of it is also unsettling.

We’re at a point where generative visuals can fool people. Where audio—music even—can sound convincing enough that you stop questioning where it came from. That’s the part that lingers.

Because music, for me, is personal. It’s how I process things. And realizing that something artificial can mimic that emotional weight—even if imperfectly—feels dangerous in a quieter, harder-to-define way.

This film doesn’t shout about AI. It doesn’t need to. Instead, it argues for something more fundamental.

That the human touch still matters.

That taste, judgment, and intention aren’t things you can replicate at scale.

That the pain of heartbreak, the joy of victory, and the complicated weight of living—these are things that come from experience. And experience leaves a mark. We leave a part of ourselves in everything we create, whether we mean to or not.

That’s something I don’t think can ever be fully replicated.

AI is a helpful tool. But it should not be relied upon for things that require a piece of our soul.

Direction that understands power

A lot of that message lands because of how The Devil Wears Prada 2 is directed.

Blocking and staging do most of the talking. Who stands where, who moves first, who stays still—these choices define power before any dialogue kicks in.

The camera follows emotion closely. Moments of uncertainty feel slightly unsteady. Scenes of control are composed and precise.

It’s not trying to impress you. It knows exactly what it’s doing.

Sound that knows its place

The sound design follows that same discipline.

Nothing competes. Nothing distracts.

Every element feels intentional–supporting the scene instead of demanding attention. It’s cohesive in a way that’s easy to overlook, but once you notice it, you realize how much it’s doing.

Dialogue that winks, but doesn’t linger

There are a few “wink” moments–lines that echo the original, callbacks that longtime fans will catch instantly.

But the film shows restraint.

It never lets those moments take over. They’re accents, not the foundation.

Nostalgia used with purpose

That restraint carries through how the film handles nostalgia as a whole.

It doesn’t rely on it. It uses it.

Parallels to the original are there, but they exist to highlight change—not to recreate what once worked.

It’s less about remembering.More about understanding what time has done.

Why it works now

What makes The Devil Wears Prada 2 land isn’t just that it’s well-made.

It’s that it feels necessary.

In a world that keeps pushing toward speed, output, and efficiency, this film slows things down just enough to remind you what actually matters.

The intention behind every line, every scene feels sharp—like it could only come from people who care. Who care about the craft. Who care about making something that connects.

It might sound like a tired argument. But it’s still true.

The breadth and depth of humans who care is irreplaceable.

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WATCH: Teaser trailer for DC Studios’ Clayface

DCU’s standalone horror thriller

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Courtesy: Warner Bros. Studios

The teaser trailer for DC Studio’s horror thriller, Clayface, has just been released. It is the studio’s first-ever foray into the genre, with the film co-written by Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins.

The R-rated standalone film is still part of the new James Gunn DC Universe, taking place within the main DCU timeline before the events of the 2025 Superman.

It stars Tom Rhys Harries as the titular Gotham City villain. He is joined by Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, Eddie Marsan, Nancy Carroll, and Joshua James.

The film opens internationally on October 21 and in North America on October 23.

Here’s a quick look at the film’s teaser trailer:

Clayface explores one man’s horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster.

The story revolves around the loss of one’s identity and humanity, corrosive love, and dark underbelly of scientific ambition.

Joining Watkins in his creative team are director of photography Rob Hardy, production designer James Price, editor Jon Harris, visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton, costume designer Keith Madden, and casting director Lucy Bevan.

In addition, here’s a quick look at the movie’s teaser poster:

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DC’s Clayface teaser shows off a horror-filled superhero movie

Our first taste of James Gunn’s Gotham City will be frightening.

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Last year, James Gunn’s Superman sparked an impressive wave of excitement for the new DC Universe. Though this year’s spotlight is on Supergirl, Clayface is also getting an eponymous film, giving us our first taste of Gotham City in this bustling universe.

There’s been a lot of mystery surrounding this film. For one, Gotham City’s DCU debut is based on, arguably, a secondary villain, rather than any member of the Bat-Family. Secondly, Gunn has confirmed that the movie will heavily lean towards the horror genre, a feat others have tried but often failed.

Today, DC Studios has released the first teaser trailer for Clayface. And no, Gunn wasn’t kidding when he said this is going to be a horror film.

Tom Rhys Harries plays Matt Hagen, a rising movie star suddenly scarred by a violent attack. Desperate to resurrect his career, he resorts to a scientific experiment that turns his skin into moldable clay.

As the teaser hints, the film will not shy away from body horror, including shots of Hagen’s disfigured face either from the attack or from the clay. It’s a big departure from the more traditional style of Superman or Supergirl. But it’s a gamble that might pay off for a universe as young as the DCU.

It’s also apropos that the DCU’s first horror film is getting a horror-themed premiere. Clayface will premiere in cinemas on October 23, 2026.

SEE ALSO: Superman sequel, titled Man of Tomorrow, comes out in 2027

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