One of the good things we have today is that when we don’t have enough time to catch a movie we have the next option. This option of having pirated DVD has a bonus of taking other films that you don’t intend to buy. Recently, upon my wife's request to see the John Lloyd-Sara Geronimo starrer at home, we chanced upon its DVD collection along with other must have local and Hollywood films.
From there, I find myself watching two independent films Coming Soon and Grace Land ahead of the mandatory Iron Man 3 and It takes a Man and a Woman.
I am, at least aware that there is a film called Coming Soon. I’ve heard of it or read about it in the internet, or I must have caught an episode of It’s Showtime where Vice Ganda mentioned about it.
First scenes of Coming Soon are interesting. It seems like opening sequences of a Hollywood Sci-Fi film when the environment is peaceful and would later be destructed towards the highlight. The next appropriate description is that it would likely be mistaken to the Smallville series. Then I was drawn to the credits since I don’t know who the cast members are. For a barkada movie (which I would later discover), it is not a requirement for actors to be real friends, it's just that I can’t seem to imagine Andi Eigenman and Carla Humpries to be real friends (reads: lack of chemistry). Then, I then found out the Andi Eigenman is one of the producers along with Romald Singson.
The high point of Coming Soon is that it is entirely enjoyable. As an independent film where you can expect the unexpected, it is (positively) quirky. The plot is simple where Andi’s character describes her barkadas. Then, in the end they find vindication from their characters’ shortcomings and flaws. I was not able to watch the reunion which was the most recent film to tackle the same theme. In terms of the tricks and experimentation, this reminds me more of the 90’s teen flick Cool Dude starring Cogie Domingo, James Blanco, Danilo Barrios and if I’m not mistaken, a very young Glaiza De Castro.
Aside from the potential of seeing lots of movie star doing cameo role and extra moments, it takes you to a journey of the characters they play. The situations can be found one way or another in others films but the treatment is fresh. If one shares this film, there are at least three things worthy to mention.
1. Carla’s character is likely to be a comic version of the role played by Krista Ranillo in Paupahan. It is given that an actress knows how to act if she comes from Star Magic (as I remember, she was). The character does not really require much, but Carla surpasses that requirement. It does not come just because she was really not in the stardom in her mid-20s but because of she understands her role. Definitely, this is something to remember about her for a long time aside from kissing Raymond Gutierrez in the pool years ago.
2. Cholo Barretto of the (let’s avoid adjectives) Barretto clan is one of the characters. This would not be a spoiler. Let’s save this for your viewing. His scene playing basketball is of the shining moments of the film where he delivered his lines very tasteful.
3. Ultimately, the love scene between Boy 2 Quizon and “the” Lilia Cuntapay the one thing to watch for. This is indie and you heard it right - not Mercedes Cabral but Lilia Cuntapay! When I say love scene, that was torrid kissing.
Lastly, if Andi seems below the energy level for the entire film, call it Jacklyn Jose technique. Everyone knows she acts well and it was her way of showing it. It also stars Dominic Rocco, Glaiza De Castro, Alice Dixson and Vice Ganda.
I intend to do a research about the director. I believe this is the first I’ve seen from him and I am impressed standing in the point of view of an ordinary viewer. I appreciate that he did not dwell on a single aspect of the film and tackled many subjects at the same time – each with right amount that viewers can indulge with. Right enough that I did not consider this an end-of-the-world film.
