The Best and the Worst of 2005

These are the films that have been shown (and released) here in our country this year. I have classified them according to what I feel and think about them. You may agree or disagree with me but they are my choices. This is in random order.

*Best Films 2005*

Ang Pagdadalaga in Maximo Oliveros

Cinderella Man

Crash

-- *Outstanding* No exact words could describe this one!

The 40-Year Old Virgin

Mga Pusang Gala

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Nobody Knows

Closer

Million Dollar Baby

Must Love Dogs

Spanglish

Kung Fu Hustle

3-Iron

Old Boy

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

La Visa Loca

*Good (to Average) Films 2005*

The Family Stone

Just Like Heaven

The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants

War of the Worlds

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

The Fantastic Four

Masahista

Dubai

Lovestruck

Batman Begins

Hitch

Meet the Fockers

The Phantom of the Opera

Red Eye

In Good Company

The Wedding Crashers

Sideways

Star Wars Ep. 3: The Revenge of the Sith

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

The Eye Infinity

Constantine

Shall We Dance?

The Amityville Horror

Jenny, Juno

Bikini Open

Nasaan Ka Man

Say That You Love Me

Fever Pitch

*Bad (to Worst) Films 2005*

Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo

The Fog

Bewitched

Elektra

Flight Plan

Boogeyman

The Exorcist: The Beginning

The Exorcist: Dominion

The Skeleton Key

The Wedding Date

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous

House of Wax

The Pacifier

Can This Be Love?

Boso

I know that I have forgot some movies so I'll just update this from time to time...

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros

The joys and pains of first love. That is the exact statement that one would get upon seeing the film.

Maximo Oliveros (Nathan Lopez) is a twelve-year old gay boy who attends to his family's house needs. He lives with his father (Soliman Cruz) and two older brothers, Kuya Boy (Neil Ryan Sese) and Kuya Bogs (Ping Medina). Their family's main livelihood is the money they get from selling stolen cellular phones. Maximo's life revolves around them and his friends. In the afternoon, he would go to a neighbor's house to watch movies.

One night, while going home from a friend's house, an incident happened. A policeman named Victor (JR Valentin) saved him. From then on, they became friends until he becomes infatuated with him. Things got complicated when his family's lives where threatened because of Victor's occupation. Maximo suddenly became caught between his commitment to his family and his loyalty to his first love.

What may keep people from seeing this movie is the fact that the main character is a gay boy. It may be characterized as a "gay film". By being characterized as such, some people might stay away from it. But I'd tell them that they shouldn't miss the opportunity of seeing a woukd-be classic! Amongst other things, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros tackles a universal theme: first love. Each and everone of us has gone through such stage in our lives and it just so happened that Maximo is a gay boy. But each experience, whatever gender you may be, is almost the same for all of us: it is exciting, happy, confusing at times, and/or sad.

Maxi's being gay wasn't questioned in the entire film. He was as normal as everybody else. He is the center of attention of his family and takes care of him like he is a their little girl. Even Victor, his policeman first love, never judged his sexuality. What matters to him is the friendship built between them.

The movie depicted a family lifestyle that is out of the social norms yet it isn't judgmental nor preachy about it. It merely shows how life unfolds in its day to day situation. The crimes, though, aren't the ones that are disturbing but how the law tends to be manipulated. The law sometimes favor not just the innocent but the ones who have money - whether their status quo belong to the rich or the "poor".

Great performances from the lead cast particularly the head of the Oliveros clan portrayed by Soliman Cruz. Nathan Lopez's strenght is acting naturally as a gay boy and his weakness are the dramatic scenes. But he outdid himself during the scene where he felt he'd become an orphan anytime soon. The silent tears would just break someone's heart into pieces!

The praises wouldn't mean, though, that Maximo is lacking in faults. In fact, it has several like some awkward delivery of lines (or maybe it is the script itself), editing and the irritating guitar plucking which serves as its soundtrack. But they wouldn't matter because you'd leave the cinema with a smile on your face and a happy heart.

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros is a must-see movie for everyone! It is about love, family, friendship, values, and redemption. This is one movie that we could call "proudly Pinoy!"

Note: To Mother Lily, give chances to independent film makers such as Aureaus Tolentino (or Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil - I may be biased but, imho, she still did an excellent job with her work!). In their hands, the Philippine movie industry would have a better and bigger chances in recuperating to its healthy state!

To Pinoy film snubs who, for sure, would have a say in the upcoming MMFF movies even if they won't see even a single film in the lot, if there's one Pinoy film you gotta see, this is it! You won't regret it!

Visit: Maximo's Blog (Akalain n'yo 'yun! Sosi na sin Maxi! Pa-blog-blog na rin!)