I caught this movie, albeit accidentally, in Fox Filipino. I have read about this movie, winning all sorts of award, including Gawad Urian best picture, so naturally, I am curious what all the fuss is about.
Thankfully, the movie was well crafted by writer/director Alvin Yapan. Admittedly, this is my first movie with Yapan. I don't know where to view his previous movies but I'm interested how he tackled his previous subjects. Sayaw is rather slow but still captivating.Handled differently, i would have switched channels. Somehow I want to know what will happen to the characters so well portrayed by the three leads. The three lead actors are perhaps the main reasons (aside from Yapan) why this movie worked. The two boy leads are newbies but believable in their role as students who are in love.
I sometimes find the dance sequences long (not really a fan of ballet) but I guess they are pertinent to the poetic theme of the movie. The English subtitles also did not catch the true depth of the poetry being read. Perhaps Tagalog can be so poetic that no English equivalent can equate to the emotion.
Finally, I have yet to see another Oscar calibre movies from Philippine cinema (Maximo Oliveros is one I could think of). Although this movie falls short of that Oscar wow i am looking for, I hope we are another step closer.
