10,000 Hours

R-13 | Filipino, Drama | Release Date: December 25, 2013

Director: Joyce Bernal

Starring: Robin Padilla, Michael de Mesa, Mylene Dizon, Bella Padilla, Pen Medina, Carla Humphries, Cholo Barreto

10,000 Hours' big win at the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) definitely raised curiosity among moviegoers. The film took home most of the coveted awards - Best Director, Best Actor, Best Picture, the FPJ Memorial Award for Film Excellence & the Gat Puno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award. 

Year 2010, Sen. Gabriel Molino Alcaraz (Robin Padilla) is about to spill the details of a pork barrel scam implicating Pres. Genoviva Martinez Obrero (Bibeth Orteza). But the senator gets pinned on an alleged 1986 rub out case instead and his NBI director friend gets killed trying to warn him of the plan to arrest him. Sen. Alcaraz escapes with the help of a brash news reporter Maya Limchauco (Bela Padilla), eluding authorities led by Gen. Dante Cristobal (Michael de Mesa). He becomes a fugitive and goes into hiding in Amsterdam. A Filipino expatriate, Isabelle Manahan (Carla Humphries), shelters the senator and helps him find Salvador Jago (Pen Medina), the man who could clear his name. Back home, the family (Mylene Dizon, Cholo Barreto, Markki Stroem, Winwyn Marquez) falls into despair from the backlash of the senator's controversial escape.

Although the film ends with a disclaimer that the events depicted are entirely fictional, it was obviously inspired by real-life political affairs. The title 10,000 Hours refers to the number of hours Sen. Alcaraz was on the lam - that's one year, one month, and one week. It's loosely based on (and I'd say, the closest to) Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson's story when he fled the country years ago.

Sure, I judged it too soon because of Robin Padilla. Ooops! But apart from the ludicrous premise of a virtuous politician & Amsterdam depicted as boring, the movie was actually good. 

I had my preconceived notion of the action star, but Robin Padilla is convincing as the lawmaker and gave the role plenty of acting cred that it didn't matter anymore. Padilla's performance had the right subtle and subdued quality needed for the character. The rest of the cast did incredible too, they definitely delivered. Bela Padilla, first time on the big screen, was natural in her role as a prick. Mylene Dizon's gun pointing and shooting was badass for a senator's wife. Pen Medina's authentic cussing. Michael de Mesa's big dilemma between enforcing the law and preserving a friendship. I was ready to give Cholo Barreto, Markki Stroem, & Wynwyn Marquez who played Padilla's children some slack because it was probably their first time acting, but I was pleasantly surprised by their acting chops & range. And Carla Humphries, God, Carla Humphries! Uh-uhm. Even Antonio Aquitania, in his short role, was gold in this movie.

Bb. Joyce Bernal didn't disappoint! An action-drama master work by the director who's more known for rom-com movies; this was her first full-feature action film in fact. 

I'm not saying it's because this movie was directed by a woman, because that's just sexist, but you won't find violent, bloody action scenes here or the nervous suspense of On The Job (OTJ). LOL. But like OTJ, this film says a lot too about the Philippine government.

The girls collectively did all the heavy lifting for the movie though, acting-wise and production-wise. 10,000 Hours was mainly backed by a female crew. The film's score by Teresa Barrozo. Screenplay by Ryllah Epifania Berico and Keiko Aquino. Cinematography by Marissa Floreindo. Film editing by Marya Ignacio. 

10,000 Hours deserved the A-rating given by the Film Evaluation Board. 

But, oh, I remembered! The most ridiculous part of 10,000 Hours was that there were CCTVs in NAIA Terminal 3. 

RATING: 9/10

Praybeyt Benjamin

Filipino, Comedy | Release Date:  October 26, 2011 (Philippines)

Director: Wenn V. Deramas

Starring: Vice Ganda, Jimmy Santos, Eddie Garcia, Derek Ramsay, Nikki Valdez, Kean Cipriano, DJ Durano, Vandolph Quizon, Carlos Agassi, Dennis Padilla

Isa itong komedya tungkol sa isang bakla na nagkunwaring lalaki upang gampanan ang pagiging sundalo. Like La Pacita Assorted Biscuits na kadalasang hinahanda sa mga lamay, Praybeyt Benjamin is an assortment. It's a mix of Mulan (yung chekwang cartoon character), Private Benjamin (Goldie Hawn), Mary Poppins, and a Maricel Soriano or Roderick Paulate comedy.

Vice Ganda plays Benjamin "Benjie" Santos VIII.  Ang mga Benjamin ng Santos clan ay traditionally nagiging mga sundalo, matipuno, lalaking-lalaki.

KAPOW!

Suntok ang inabot ni Benjie ng malaman ni lolo (Eddie Garcia) na binabae pala ang apo nya. Ayun, itinakwil ang buong pamilya niya. When a terrorist group took the entire country hostage, napilitan ang army mag-recruit. Nagpalista si Benjie para akuin ang posisyon ng tumatandang ama (Jimmy Santos), at dahil na rin gusto nyang sagipin ang lolo niya who was taken hostage by the terrorists. Sa camp, na-inlab siya kay Brandon (Derek Ramsay), at tuluyan nang nagladlad ng tunay na katauhan. Naging lider din sa camp si Benjie ng isang maliit na grupo ng mga losers turned national heroes, sa tulong na rin ng kanyang kabaklaan at mga gadget ng scientist na tatay.

"Ay kabayo!"

"Brownout?" tanong ni kapatid.

"Hindi, sunrise."

Sarcasm and competent support actors, 'yan ang kargang bala ng pelikulang 'to. Si Jimmy Santos bilang ama ni Benjie, si Abby Bautista na gumanap na batang kapatid ay ilan lang sa mga tumatak sa ating lahat.

"Pag bakla, salot agad?"

"Hindi ba pwedeng malas muna?" sambit ng batang matabil.

May mga bentang scenes din, tulad nung pagkikita nina Benjie at ang kanyang pamilya for the first time mula ng mag-training siya sa pagsusundalo. Ang setting: merong glass window sa pagitan ng dalawang kwarto -- nasa magkabilang silid si Benjie at kanyang pamilya; nag-emote sina Benjie at mga magulang nito through the glass; damang-dama mong nasasaktan sila sa partition na namamagitan sa kanila; nag-iyakan, pilit nilang maging kontento na lamang na hanggang hawak sa malamig na salamin na lang ang magagawa nila... At nang biglang nagbukas ng pintuan sa side ang kapatid na babae ni Benjie.

Mapapamura ka habang tumatawa. T@%* i*a! May pintuan pala!

The 1 hour and 50mins Praybeyt Benjamin had good moments, but it lacked focus. The story was all over the place, ang script ay hindi ganun kalalim. But it worked OK dahil sa delivery ng actors. There were hopeless antics, but Vice Ganda made it look promising. Let's face it, kung hindi si Vice Ganda ang bida, malamang flop ang movie. Nobody could deliver those lines like he did. May cameo pang lumabas sa dulo na mage-gets lang if you’ve seen the film it was referring to.

Masarap talagang manood kung sinasabayan ka din ng crowd sa emosyon mo -- anlulutong ng halakhak ng mga kasabayan kong nanood sa sinehan. Sumakit ang ulo at tyan ko sa kakatawa sa pelikulang ito. At mukhang hindi lang ako, because Praybeyt Benjamin is now the Highest Grossing Filipino Film of all time, and is also the first Filipino movie that reached Php300 million mark.

RATING: 6/10 (pero mamamatay ka sa kakatawa)