naglalayag....... silent passage.....

Title:
Naglalayag (A-)
Actors:
Nora Aunor, Yul Servo, Aleck Bovick, Jaclyn Jose, Celia Rodriguez, Chanda Romero
Writer/Director:
Irma Dimaranan / Maryo J. de los Reyes

You can say it, you don’t want to? Okay, I’ll say it---BADUY!!! You cool now? Well, first of all I have to cite the reasons why on earth I watched this movie (as if I have to, of course I have to you dumbass, I don’t wanna be labeled baduy, not me!), there are 3 reasons: first, I was given a free movie pass, what do you expect me to do with it? Of course I’ll use it (and you’ll ask why not give it to somebody else, continue reading psycho). Second, the movie won the “coveted” Best Picture award last ____day, of the Manila Film Festival (so prestigious, where can you see an actor in a lead role win as supporting actor, that’s the dumbest shit ever, only in the Philippines). That implies that it is a good film, possibly the best, possibly worth watching. And lastly, after I saw Spiderman 2 that day (go see it! So cool!), it was raining pretty hard and I have no umbrella (I’d rather die than carry one, except when it’s sunny), so that leaves me no choice than to kill time, I’m short of cash to hail a cab and absolutely to go shop, so I decided to go see the movie. See, they are very fine raison d'être why I watched the movie (except the last one, I just made it up, what? I have to make it three, it’s lucky).

On with the show, it was……… good, and I mean that (I swear to your whoever’s grave). It was far, far, far, far, far (wherever you are) better than Sabel. I thought the story may not appear as unique to Westerns, but to us, it’s a little inimitable. The screenplay was very well written, somewhere in that movie I felt like I was watching Hable con Ella once again, there’s this realness in the script that makes it so admirable, so sincere and so connecting. It hits you well and leaves a smile. I must admit though, that most of the time I was smiling cuz I was so disgusted by what I see (hello! Nora kissing another human being, say it with me, GROSS!).

Aunor’s acting was commendable enough, definitely much better than (your idol) Juday. That peaceful-almost-kinda-dreary-acting-that-ends-with-a-bang, of her still works. She deserves the Best Actress award. Yul was, well, Yul. It was like the character was written based on him, it was like made entirely for him. His character was very affable, his smile just adds more to the enjoyment of the viewers (where else can you see a person as frivolous, right me!) I won’t say that he was the most deserving, but he was a good enough choice. Aleck was nothing but an embellishment (for guys--- and oh lesbians!) in this movie, (she strips were happy, she acts, oh man, just strip again) and I hope she does well next time (yeah right!). The biggest accolade for acting deserves to go to Jaclyn Jose, her character was one of the most real characters ever made in Philippine cinema. She was rarely shown, but when she’s in a scene you won’t end up ignoring her, cuz she’ll just make you laugh your head off (heads for the guys). She was just an embodiment of a typical Pinoy mother, you rarely agree with her, but you sympathize, and she just did a wonderful portrayal. I’d say it was a neck-and-neck battle between her and Sunshine Dizon, but she grabbed the best supporting actress trophy anyway.

I have to warn you though that the last ¼ of the movie was a little tedious, and I really didn’t like it. I thought it was pretty silly. Nonetheless, it was a good picture, de los Reyes adds another gem to his works, and he did a find job, considering the fact that it was rushed. And oh, the editing was okay. The music though was hideous; they kept on playing that Bituin Escalante song (they should have picked Mahal’s songs). Speaking of the little alcoholic (the nerves!!!), I’m dead serious about this one, they were a few times that I really thought I was watching Mahal rather than Nora. It was so funny.

This movie will make a great barkada movie. You won’t be bored. You’ll laugh, you’ll feel remorse and disgusted but at the end of it, there’s a lesson---- that watching Nora these days, is like seeing Mahal a few inches taller.

*Please don’t buy pirated vcd’s… it kills…. You are inhibiting the future writers/directors and etc. from getting work. Respect Intellectual Property Rights. (oh, I sounded like Bong Revilla, the hell with it, just don’t buy em.)