Skip to main content

Featured Post

Review by

"ANI (The Harvest)" Movie Review - Flawed but Admirable

A kid had to face the world in his own animated version and conquer life's biggest monster. ANI (The Harvest) It's as if a child's imagination is a safe haven, a place where the world is a playground for all the possibilities the mind could think of. And even the tight and humble space called home, situated on a busy Metro could not hinder the inquisitive headspace of a young Mithi (played by Zyren Dela Cruz), a boy who accomplishes the day by playing with his colorful toy robots that perform a vital role in his imaginary narrative. With a loving father and a mother that sings him a self-assuring lullaby, Mithi is blissfully unaware of the harsh reality. But life decided to toy with his fate, and Mithi's perfect little world is now showing its cracks, putting his vulnerability to the test and slowly depriving him of his happiness he thought would last forever. And through his eyes, the world suddenly transforms itself into a menacing monster.  Set in a lush
3 comments
Read more
Labels
Review by

"Birdshot" Review - Right on Target

Revolves around the story of a young girl who was taught by her father how to fend for herself, like a parent bird teaching its fledgling how to fly.

birdshow-review
- Photo from Wikipedia

First Flight

Directed by an auspicious director Mikhail Red, Birdshot is the first Filipino produced film bought by Netflix to be distributed worldwide. The story follows a young girl named Maya (Mary Joy Apostol) and her father Diego (Manuel Aquino), a farmer and the caretaker of the land who teaches her daughter how to shoot a gun and be self-sufficient. Later on, Maya wandered off to a forbidden territory and manages to kill an endangered Haribon.

Meanwhile, the movie also introduced another plot that follows a rookie cop Domingo (Arnold Reyes) and his senior and seasoned partner Mendoza (John Arcilla) as they investigate the disapperance of a busload of farmland workers. As their investigation leads to nothing, the police commander gave them another case - to investigate the missing Haribon. 

Later on, both plots crossed paths and this is where the movie started to show its brutal and bloody wings. 

The Good

The cinematography is brilliant, as with most TBA Studio films, with the use of earthy and blood-red tones to complement its mature and grounded visuals. The wide-angle shots is captivating - showcasing their beautiful eerie locations and undisturbed wilderness. The score is commendable as it adds the tension needed from the suspenseful scenes. The acting performances from the main characters especially for Mary Joy Apostol is believable and impressive as well. The story is intriguing and unpredictable making me anticipate where the plot goes next.

The Bad

There were some subplots that I thought didn't materialize by the end of the film. The slow-burn sequences from the first half of the film, while not particularly bad is something that might bore the regular audience. 

Should You Watch It?

Birdshot is a brooding and a slow-burn thriller that is successful at conveying its characters' inner thoughts and feelings. It is a no-brainer that a film like this should be seen by a larger audience.

8/10
Reel Points

Email Post
Categories

Comments

Post a Comment