Fleeting
Fleeting is a slow-burn romance set against Mati, Davao’s breathtaking backdrop, where Janella Salvador’s radiant Gem, a dreamer in a quarter-life crisis, meets RK Bagatsing’s laidback JC, a wealthy heir embracing slow living. Their chemistry—palpable despite a 10-year age gap—elevates a familiar rom-com arc: awkward encounters blossoming into love. Director Catsi Catalan’s debut captures Mati’s stunning scenery, making it a character itself, while Gem’s piloting ambition (40 flight hours at P10,000 each, sealed with a water-dousing ritual) adds depth. JC’s charm and “sikwate” drink tempt you to visit, doubling as a travelogue.
Yet, the film feels frictionless. Gem’s online job woes and JC’s privilege—running a Wi-Fi-free Kalipay Cafe with no customers—are set up but unexplored, sidestepping conflict for visual allure. Salvador’s glow and Bagatsing’s easy charisma keep it engaging, turning cheesy tropes into something committed and captivating. Gem’s growth mirrors a solo traveler warming to a stranger, reflecting her love for Mati’s people and place. It’s gorgeous and breezy, though its avoidance of deeper stakes leaves some threads dangling. Still, it’s a pleasant escape—enough to make you dream of sipping sikwate by Mati’s shores.
Olsen’s Day
“Olsen’s Day” is a slow-burning drama that thrives on the chemistry between its leads. Khalil Ramos delivers a nuanced performance as Olsen, a stagnant news researcher, alongside Romnick Sarmenta’s warm and witty Tony.
The film’s first hour is a talky, seemingly straightforward ride, but a pivotal twist reframes everything. While the execution falters, the film’s strength lies in its intimacy – Ramos’s angst, Sarmenta’s gravitas, and the quiet ache of Olsen’s mother Agnes.
“Olsen’s Day” lingers as a thoughtful, if imperfect, meditation on family and revelation. It’s a film that will stay with you, carried by two actors at the top of their game.
Sepak Takraw
Sepak Takraw unites two Isinay half-brothers through kickball, tackling family rifts, discrimination, and cultural reclamation. The cast, led by Ruby Ruiz’s stitching presence, delivers strong performances, with stellar cinematography immersing us in their world. Yet, the title misleads—sepak takraw isn’t the core; it’s a late pivot to a father’s accountability for abusing and abandoning his family. This redemption arc, guided by the mother, hits hard but arrives too late to unify a disjointed tale.
The film juggles subplots—ancestral land struggles, indigenous practices, childhood scars—but loses focus, its slow pacing and loosely tied arcs leaving you questioning its heart. Why Sepak Takraw? Unlike some of the most memorable sports drama we’ve seen, we’re sports was put front and center in the narrative, the sport here feels peripheral. The dialogue, especially the kids’, occasionally rings unnatural, like adults in disguise. Still, its portrayal of Isinay knowledge and the injustice of land loss is brave and vital—documentation of a fading heritage. Technical prowess shines, but emotional clarity dims amid cluttered themes. The father’s reckoning resonates, yet the film dances around its potential, feeling lost until its final moments.
Visually, “Sepak Takraw” is striking, and the sport sequences pulse with energy. But the film stumbles, prioritizing breadth over depth. It’s a noble effort that kicks high but doesn’t quite stick the landing, lost in its own whirlwind of ideas.
Entries to the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival are screened exclusively in Gateway Cinemas, Quezon City, from 14-25 March 2025.
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