Bahay na Pula: Movie Review

Brillante Mendoza’s second horror feature is a look into sexual violence towards women.

Raffy (Xian Lim) and Jane (Julia Barretto) traveled to Pola, Oriental Mindoro to visit their ancestral house. They are welcomed by the house’s caretaker and Jane’s family servant, Aling Ising (Erlinda Villalobos).

Jane’s family plans to demolish the house and repurpose it. However, the city of Pola barred the operation in accordance with the National Cultural Heritage Act. Despite this, Jane is determined to proceed with their plan. So he asked for the help of her ex-boyfriend and a city hall employee, Roger (Marco Gumabao), to convince the mayor of their intention.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Raffy and Jane, the ancestral house is haunted by the spirit of a cruel Japanese soldier. It turns out the house was once a place for rape and murder during World War II. As Jane slowly discerns this tragic past through nightmares, she becomes the target of the ghost’s sadism.

Mang Jose

Janno Gibbs plays a superhero who charges people for his good deeds in this contemporary Filipino superhero film based on a popular song.

Mang Jose (Janno Gibbs) is an unusual superhero. He’s only the superhero who saves people if they hire him. And his charge is no laughing matter. Consider this: 30,000 pesos for a single fight. 

But that's perfectly reasonable for him. His abilities are energy absorption and redirection, which means he must first take a beating before he can fight back. And it's difficult for him to recover from the pain at his age. That's why his sidekick and accountant Archimedes (Jerald Napoles) always looks out for him. He even built a suit to protect him and optimize his powers.

One day, a young man named Tope (Mikoy Morales) hired Mang Jose to help him save his mother, Tina (Bing Loyzaga). Apparently, superheroes are going missing all over town, and it's all because of the evil and powerful King Ina (Manilyn Reynes), and her minions who brainwashed them. 

Mang Jose is the only remaining superhero. It is now up to him to defeat King Ina and save the day.

Nerisa

Ricky Lee and Lawrence Fajardo teamed up to create a compelling drama about a mysterious woman and the island that both desires and resents her.

Obet (Aljur Abrenica) and Nerisa (Cindy Miranda) are two newly wed couples, so in love with each other. In flashbacks, it is revealed that their meeting can be compared to a fairy tale. Obet found her below the sea. She has no recollection of where she came from and who she was thus people believe that she might be a nymph, specifically a mermaid.

Mermaids are usually signs of bad luck. They can bring depravity and even death to a community. But Nerisa couldn’t care less of what they think. She is happy.

Until one day, Obet and a few local fishermen got into a sea accident. The townspeople quickly accuse Nerisa for this misfortune. Thrusting her into becoming the village’s pariah.

Steal

Bona Fajardo’s formulaic and quirky caper follows a trio of brave Filipinas in an impossible mission to steal cash from a dangerous crime lord.

Three Filipinas bond over their dilemmas and needs to earn cash in the city of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka, Japan.

Hiyasmin Macaraig (Meg Imperial) is saving for the kidney transplant of his father. So she works on different odd jobs, after the restaurant she works in decided to close.

Cynthia Mae Valdes or CM (Ella Cruz) provides for her jobless live-in partner and their kid. She is an English tutor coming to Japan, but she now works as a bartender.

Mitch Sarmiento (Jennifer Lee) is a bright student from Kitakyushu. However, she developed an addiction to Pachinko due to the stress of studying. She is now trying to pay back the hundreds of Yen she owes to the loan shark, Ayumi.

After helping a woman named Platinum (Nathalie Hart) fight off her abusive but rich husband, the three girls decided to join her intention for revenge.

The plan is to steal a bag full of cash inside a billiards place. At first, they are hesitant. Going against a notorious crime lord could potentially kill them.

But their determination for freedom and for family weighs more than fear of death or capture.