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Stereotyping is a sin both in art and in life. Films, both as a piece of art and as a superstructure, (to borrow a descriptor used by film critic Roger Garcia) often commit this, however, shoehorning great talents in roles that almost never really define the breadth of their competence. The late Filipina actress Cherie Gil, who local filmgoers have generally identified more as an actress suited for the role of the antagonist, has more than proven she can do more than one kind of characterization; however, in classics such as “Manila by Night” (1980) and Oro, “Plata Mata” (1982) and arguably in the most multidinous way possible in “Sonata,” a 2013 independent movie which also won her the best actress accolade at the 2015 Asean International Film Festival and Awards.

“Sonata” is about Regina Cadena, an opera singer who experiences a downward spiral after she loses the ability to sing. It is also,...

Since its first reference in Batman #4 in 1940, Gotham City has been a primary part of the Batman mythology. Frank Miller has referred to Gotham City as New York City after dark, which makes sense considering that Gotham had already been a well-known nickname for the city before Batman's creation.

"Originally I was going to call Gotham City 'Civic City,'" said writer Bill Finger in 1970's The Steranko History of Comics. "Then I tried 'Capital City', then 'Coast City'. Then I flipped through the New York City phone book and spotted the name 'Gotham Jewelers' and said, 'That's it,' Gotham City. We didn't call it New York because we wanted anybody in any city to identify with it."

Despite Gotham City's obvious parallels to New York City, Bruce Wayne's home has also taken elements from Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Vancouver, London and Chicago.

Just take...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...