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Today’s reviews are by Vivien the Vuvuzela.

Vox Populi by Dennis Marasigan

Vox Populi: A thorough, well-crafted close-up on local politics via the last day of a (fictional) campaign. Nothing really new or shocking here, but the scenes are excellently mounted and all the male supporting performances are faultless and fearlessly flamboyant. Watching Tony Mabesa, Josemari Avellana, Julio Diaz, Bobby Andrews, and Roeder go at their characters with perfect ease and wild abandon is priceless.

But it’s Simoun Ibarra’s stunning, beatific turn that will kill you.

Ironically the lead, played by Irma Adlawan, might be the one part that leaves you wanting. As the queen in the middle of this maelstrom she looks the part: she delivers a totally competent performance, but by reining in the madness too much she fails to soar alongside her male courtesans.

Sigwa by Joel Lamangan

Sigwa: Call off the executioner, there’s hope for Joel Lamangan yet.

With Sigwa, a love letter to youthful idealism/activism, he delivers half a vital movie—the present, starring the beautifully understated turns by Dawn Zulueta, Gina Alajar, Zsa Zsa Padillia, Jim Pebanco and Tirso Cruz III, and a surprising lightness of touch seldom seen from the director.

The other half—the past, told in ho-hum flashbacks—is a yawn: yet another romanticized, prettified paean to the First Quarter Storm. Naging mas exciting sana kung pinag-usapan na lang ng matatanda at di na ipinakita as flashback. Nakatipid pa ng milyones.

One half sublime, one half pedestrian—net net, okay pa rin. Lamangan may be on the road to redemption. (Enjoy din ang huling Mano Po, ha!)