Tiktik: the aswang chronicles

“Tiktik” ay pelikula ng isang lalaking pumunta sa probinsya ng kanyang katipan at nais makipagbalikan sa kanya.

Di mapagkakaila ang special effects na ginamit sa pelikula na tunay na kabilib-bilib sa ating mga Pinoy, “Kaya pala natin!”  Kaya lamang, sa dami ng palyado sa iskrip, sana’y inayos muna ito bago isipin ang mga palabok ng special effects.  Kung mas malinamnam ang bata sa sinapupunan, bakit iniwan ito ng mga aswang para habulin ang lalaking bida?

Tungkol naman sa mensahe ng pelikula, ano nga ba ang mga aswang na kinatatakutan ng mga tao?  Baka nagiging simbolo ito na halos walang kapangyarihan ang tao upang tupukin ito.  Dito nakakatulong ang pelikula sa pagbibigay ng kapangyarihan sa tao – kaya niyang tupukin ito.  Ngunit kung tunay na diyablo na ang pag-uusapan, baka hindi sapat ang bawang, asin, latigo, at mismong lakas ng tao.  Mayroon pang ibang maaaring makatulong sa kanya kung siya’y mananampalataya.

Pagsusuri: 3/5

The orphan

The Orphan is a film about a family that lost a daughter that they choose to adopt an orphan.

The character development and script are believable. The sound contributed a lot to the heightening of suspense. The plot leads to a climactic ending.

Three people in the scriptures should be accorded with charity - the strangers, widows, and orphans. Unfortunately, the Orphan enforces that fear in us in accepting people into our homes. This mistrust also enforces the myth that our families are the only ones existing in this world and we don't need others. But this is totally uncalled for. Even family members could inflict violence in a domestic setting. We just need to trust one another.

Rating: 2.5/5

Mirrors

Mirrors is a film about a man who has unusual encounters with mirrors that he wants to trace the cause and end the nightmare bringing havoc to his family.

The visual and audio effects that make up this horror film are doing their job quite well. Using the same conventions, they never fail to cause the audience to scream or jump from their seats.

On the other hand, the film may work for those who want to be frightened. But for people of faith, Mirrors surely doesn't make any sense. There is no sense of redemption. The power of the evil one over the bodies of peoples to hurt at will is just almost absolute. Worse, man offers himself as a viable alternative to combat evil using his own powers. If there were even a ray of hope from the Source of goodness and light, then the film would pass critical eyes. But Mirrors doesn't offer this alternative.

Rating: 1.5/5