By: Sanriel Chris Ajero
2009 has been a generous year for the Philippine film industry. Most of the Filipinos, however, hardly even notice. It is the year when boundaries were crossed, walls were crushed, and hurdles were conquered – but nobody seemed to care. As the whole world delightfully discovers the immense array of talents our country has to offer, we were busy uncovering the latest disgrace concerning our dearly-loved wedded showbiz personalities. As the most prestigious of all film festivals, Cannes Film Fest, took its hat off to Filipino directors, we were busy marveling the outlandish skill of a doctor-turned-director in his breakthrough filmmaking career. As our small films gather thunderous uproar (whether good or bad) in the global film stadium, we were busy, glued to the screens, eagerly awaiting for the latest in the seemingly infinite collaborations of Mother Lily and Joel Lamangan. It is a sad reality, a bitter pill we, film buffs and film critics alike, have to swallow – that the majority of Filipinos are not yet ready. Be it for the giant leap in film appreciation we all want injected to each and every one, or simply for any sort of change. This is a maddeningly long process, but we are lucky to have some films keeping us company – and keeping us sane.
Before giving out my list, here are some well-regarded films of the past year that did not make the cut: (1) the little indie that could, ‘Kimmy Dora’; (2) the best mainstream effort of 2009, ‘In My Life’; (3) the Cinema One Originals Best Film winner, ‘Wanted: Border’; (4) Cinemanila gems ‘Anacbanua’ and (5) ‘Biyaheng Lupa’; (6) the internationally-acclaimed ‘Bakal Boys’; (7) breakthrough filmmaker Pepe Diokno’s ‘Engkwentro’; (8) Cinemalaya Best Picture winner, ‘Last Supper No.3′; (9) Cinemalaya audience choice award winner, ‘Dinig Sana Kita’; and (10) Raymond Red’s comeback feature, ‘Himpapawid’. Some of these I found amusing but not good enough; some I found rather appalling; and some, I didn’t get the chance to see. So, now, on with the show.
Here are my picks for the top Filipino films of 2009. These 10 films made 2009 a highly-appropriate closure to a very significant decade in Philippine cinema.
*I apologize for the lack of writeup. It is to follow but subject to workload 🙂 Enjoy!
26 comments
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January 18, 2010 at 7:28 am
jaysonyang
Galeeeeeeeeng! You have the best list of 2009’s top Filipino films! Will link this to my blog! Great work! A+ for the images btw! 🙂
January 18, 2010 at 7:32 am
Sani
Wahaha. Best na kagad? 🙂 May iba pang nakita? Haha. Thanks thanks!! 🙂 Effort nga yung images. Pero enjoy naman! Kaw, whats your favorite Pinoy film of 2009? 🙂
January 18, 2010 at 7:52 am
jaysonyang
Meron kasi http://www.clickthecity.com/movies/?p=6808 tho hinaluan nya ng foreign, but still super panget. Peace sa gumawa. Yung 2009 fave film ko ay wala sa list mo! Haha. :p Isunod na ang foreign! 🙂
January 18, 2010 at 7:39 am
emman
Ang galing mr. Sanriel, The pictures are astig! *clap clap*
January 18, 2010 at 8:09 am
Sani
THANKS, favorite friend. Haha
January 18, 2010 at 8:04 am
2009 Best Filipino Films « Forever in Blue Jeans
[…] Best of Philippine Cinema 2009 […]
January 18, 2010 at 8:06 am
Sani
Yey! Thanks 🙂
January 18, 2010 at 9:45 am
jspotnigarma
gusto ko sana ma-appreciate ang list, kaso wala naman akong access sa movies na ito. huhuhu… =/
January 18, 2010 at 12:51 pm
Sani
UPFI is always there. And Cinemalaya sa July. I doubt if these films get a proper DVD release. Mangatyanan, however, is out already 🙂 Foreign films kasi are a lot easier to download.
January 18, 2010 at 11:03 am
Fidel Antonio Medel
At akala ko Walang Hanggang Paalam ang #1 mo. Ikaw lang ang nagandahan sa movie na yan. Promise.
Puro Honorable Mentions ang mo ang Top 10 ko. Inaayos ko pa ang write-up ng Top 10 Pinoy ko. I’ll post it this week. Naunahan mo ko.
Di ko napanood ang Lav Diaz short. Sobrang pangit kasi nung first two shorts ng Seonju Digital Project kaya nag-walk out na ko ng sinehan. Sayang!
January 18, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Sani
Grabe ka. I stand by it 🙂 I love it. I cant get the three stories of ‘goodbyes’ out of my head, til now. Especially yung kay Lovi. That was the first time I saw her, and I thought she was good. Sobrang misunderstood yung character nya ng audience.
Wag na write up 🙂 Though I’ll post writeup din pag sinipag. Ihabol ko. So kelan ko iexpect list mo? Will start with my foreign films, which is much much mooore matrabaho 🙂 Perhaps this weekend.
Is the Lav Diaz film meant to be a short film? I thought full-length sya, but a lot shorter than his other films. Ganda nya friend. Na-haunt ako ilang days after.
January 19, 2010 at 4:54 am
Fidel Antonio Medel
Walang Hanggang Paalam is so flat. Dinaan sa Wong Kar Wai-ish dramatics ang lahat. And I was boooored to death. Nakakabother pa ang acting ni Jacky Woo at Lovi Poe. ‘Nuf hatin’.
I’ll have my Pinoy list this week. From your Top 10, 2 lang dyan ang kasama sa Top 10 ko. Magkaiba talaga tayo ng mga gusto. As in.
Ang alam ko short film yung Walang Alaala ang mga Paru-Paro. Part siya ng Jeonju Digital Project trilogy – 3 shorts from Asian filmmakers na funded by Jeonju Filmfest. Not sure about the specifics, pero parang ganun yung pagkakaintindi ko.
Maganda rin daw yung unfinished film ni Lav Diaz na Agonistes. Nag-preview siya during Cinemanila.
January 19, 2010 at 5:55 am
Sani
Papanuorin ko sana Agonistes if it was scheduled late enough for me to get to the place from work. Kaso 4pm lang yata only screening nya sa UP. Owel, at least I got the chance to watch this one.
Pfft. Walang Hanggang Paalam again. It’s not that. Their style may be influenced by Wai’s but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. At least, Villaluna and Ramos both know what they are doing. And where the film is going. They know exactly how the characters would react. And hindi nila minamadali. Thing is, more than the narrative, ang nagpush ng film toward ay yung images. There were visual clues along the way – be it as blatant as the used color palette, or as ‘immaterial’ as film posters hanging on their doors. Very dynamic sila. Yun yung nag-counter nung pacing ng narrative. Everything na ginawa ng bawat character (even yung pagiging makakalimutin ni Lovi) aligned sa personality and story na dapat nila iportray – kung farewell to ‘youth’, to ‘love’, or to ‘life’. Sobrang consistent. And that’s rare. It only goes to show that they get it. No second guessing sa kahit isang shot.
Lalala. Another ‘Wanted: Border’ fan :p
Looking forward to seeing your list. Of course magagawa mo lang yun if you (and your heart) is ready. WAHAHA.
January 20, 2010 at 11:51 am
Fidel Antonio Medel
I think I have to watch more films in UP. Ang layo kasi kaya ng hirap dumayo. Showing dun ang Huling Balyan, Alon, and Confessional next Sat. I wanna go!
Regarding Walang Hanggang Paalam, na-explain mo na sa ‘kin kung gano mo siya ka-love. And it kills me that I have to read about it again. Tama na ang pag-eexplain! Joke lang.
Wanted: Border fan ako? Wait and see. Haha.
I already have my Top 10 kaya lang tinatamad talaga akong magsulat ng write-up. Andaming trabaho dito sa office ngayon. Sana binabayaran na lang tayo para mag-blog. Anyway, pag nagpunta ka sa blog ko, paki-click naman yung mga ads para kumita na ko. Haha.
January 21, 2010 at 12:28 am
Sani
You have to. For the love of films, right? I’m planning to watch Biyaheng Lupa there. Is it any good? Or wag na lang? Ok ba yung Alon? Definitely watch Confessional. You wouldnt want to miss your chance again.
Blah blah blah. Walang Hanggang Paalam > your number 1 film
Hahaha
I’m sure you’re a fan. Ack. Dont write na kasi. You’ll never finish. Better do advance writeups na for the foreign list. Haha. Nako nagpromote pa ng blog amp! Wahaha
January 21, 2010 at 12:44 am
Sani
By the way, the Academy released its shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film award.
– The Secret in their Eyes (Argentina) – I just saw this last night. Haha
– Samson and Delilah (Australia) – This is the part where you jump for joy.
– The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner (Bulgaria) – Unexpected. This ones available na din sa net.
– A Prophet (France) – Expected. You hated this, right?
– The White Ribbon (Germany) – Expected. Probably even for a win.
– Ajami (Israel) – Muntik ko na madownload last week. Walang impact for me.
– Kelin (Kazakhstan) – No idea what this is. Haha
– Winter in Wartime (The Netherlands) – Just the validation I needed para idownload to. Nasa queue ko na for downlaod 🙂
– The Milk of Sorrow (Peru) – Well, sabi mo panget kaya I didn’t mind. Haha
* I demand the inclusion of Korea‘s Mother and Romania‘s Police, Adjective!!!!
* Surprise, surprise! Philippine‘s Grandpa is Dead did not make it.
January 18, 2010 at 11:23 am
Louie
Haha ang dami mong bitterness sa simula. 😛 I only saw two of the ten films though and I didn’t even finish the other (Kinatay was too much for me). -_- Got to see most of those that made the runner-up list though.
January 18, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Sani
So whats the other one you saw? I thought Kinatay was very symbolic. Towards the end, however, it suffered, in a way, from extreme lack of subtlety. I particularly like the first parts – the wedding scene most especially. And i loved the beautifully choreographed van scene – which, I believe, was the reason for his Best Director win 🙂
Marami ka naman pala napanuod 🙂 Where do you watch ba? UP? 🙂
January 20, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Louie
Too heavy a hand on the gore for my taste. I downloaded that but I saw Panggagahasa ni Fe when it was being shown in the cinemas. 🙂
January 21, 2010 at 12:30 am
Sani
Really? Kinatay‘s available na sa net? Give me a link!!! 🙂
What did you think of Fe?
January 21, 2010 at 10:28 am
Fidel Antonio Medel
I didn’t like Biyaheng Lupa. Aksaya sa oras.
Speaking of blog promotion, i-link mo blog ko. Ang blog kong isang linggong ng walang laman. Tinatamad magsulat ng bagong blog.
I’m so happy for Samson & Delilah. The White Ribbon will eventually win. Nomination lang for Samson & Delilah at happy na ko. This film should not go unappreciated dahil sooobrang ganda niya.
I didn’t link A Prophet. Parang Gomorrah, but more tolerable.
I wanted to watch The Milk of Sorrow, pero na-late ako nung pinalabas siya sa Cinemanila. Wala akong sinabing pangit siya. Wag mag-imbento!
Mother should have been included… and Ded Na Si Lolo. For the love of cinema, Ded Na Si Lolo is the BEST Filipino film of all time. ‘Nuf blah!
January 22, 2010 at 12:57 am
Sani
Ok. Nilait na. Edi hindi na papanuorin. Haha
I tried. I dont know how to link pag blogspot. Yung mga wordpress easy lang. How ba? Link din this to yours. wahaha
This category gives room for surprises lagi. Madaming frontrunners natatalo dito. Like The Class last year, or Pan’s Labyrinth, Hero, Amelie, Farewell My Concubine, etc. So its not sure (though I pray) na its The White Ribbon. Last year they went for an extreme WTF choice with Departures which I didnt like AT ALL.
Ah, I thought you said it’s bad. Parang puro rants ka kasi with Cinemanila films e. Haha. Aryt, will download after the one I’m dloading now.
I know. Mother deserved the spot. Baka hindi kasi pang-Academy Award yung film since thriller sya and all. I noticed wala din yung Canada for I Killed My Mother (which I cant wait to see. nadownload ko na kaso no subs available pa), Baaria (i downloaded na pero no subs din. keri mo Italian?) at Afghan Star.
January 26, 2010 at 5:36 am
Richard Bolisay
nice list, sani. i hope i can have one too, sometime, if it would still be relevant. and i lurve your images. could i have a drizzle of that photoshop talent? 🙂
January 26, 2010 at 8:26 am
Sani
Hi Sir!
Thank you for checking out my list.
A list of films would always be relevant for people like us 🙂 I would love to see yours, whenever you feel like doing it.
Btw, I hope you don’t mind me putting your site in my blogroll.
Many thanks. I spent all my free time enjoying photoshop that I missed the point of doing a list – explaining why 🙂 So there, wala akong writeup. Haha. I’m doing another list now pero this time I’ll make sure to write something about it. Haha. And I’ll be glad to help if you need any photoshop assistance 🙂
PS: Your last entry in your blog was about Apichatpong Weerasethakul latest films. Incidentally, I’m currently downloading Nabua now. You seem like a fan of his works. I’ve only seen Syndromes and a Century, Tropical Malady and Blissfully Yours from him and I adore all three. What would you recommend I watch next? 🙂
January 27, 2010 at 10:50 am
Richard Bolisay
everything from apichatpong, if not great, is always interesting. with his works it isn’t about the film being good or bad, but how you feel about it, which i believe what good cinema is all about. so go for any! i hope to finish the list sometime in february. hirap mag-annotate e, but then masaya naman. see you around, sani. (and thanks for the link!)
January 17, 2011 at 11:17 am
LIST: Best of Philippine Cinema 2010 « Another Sani Day
[…] year, no further intro will be provided, as you all are very much aware of the drill (Here’s last year’s). I’ll try to release as much and varied lists as I could and as my time would permit, but as […]