Movie #31: Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me

Watched it last: May 18
Released last: July 2011
Why I watched it: It was one of the more popular entries in Cinemalaya last year.

First of all, indie cinema is an acquired taste. When you're accustomed to mainstream and commercial movies all your life, it takes some getting used to when it comes to appreciating indie movies. The narrative and its execution can be quite strange, so if you're not up for some creative adventure, you could be left bored.

This movie is hardly an eventful story. If this were mainstream, the entire narrative would be over by maybe only 30 minutes. But the beauty about indie films is that they explore a simple premise in a way that mainstream doesn't -- they tend to savor or linger in every possible emotion. Over the top sequences are not the norm, so you might be enjoying the climax already without noticing it.

And I think herein lies the strength and difference of this friends-without-benefits movie over its contemporaries. Skip the next paragraph if you haven't watched it and if you're planning to do so.

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! At first, I felt cheated in the ending. No resolution on what happened to Jenny?! Haha. But then it got me thinking, who says all real life stories like this have resolution? I mean, I'm sure we know at least someone who haven't moved on from a past love. After all, the story was really more about that no-commitment hookups, it’s not really after the happy endings that rarely happen anyway. Haha! And that ending is such a tease!

Critical Reception: "B" by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB)
I'd rate it around: 72%. Those in this kind of relationship will really learn a thing or two about this. And anyone who's nursing a broken heat or anyone who can't seem to move on. Haha.

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As I did in 2011, I am listing down the movies I watch for 2012, along with my comment about each viewing experience. These movie pseudo-review/commentaries are hardly scientific. There might be days that I might be more tolerant of crappy movies and so I might find myself going easy on the critique. More so, my "critiques" are hardly theoretical because I admit I have not taken any proper film critiquing classes, haha! I most usually lash out "in the moment". I try to be as objective as possible, but know that we all have our own different tastes when it comes to films.