Magic Temple

When I first saw this film, I went like "We can rank it up there with the foreign films." (Foreign meaning 'not Filipino'.) I love Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Wars, like any normal person, and those are among the best all-time films, not just fantasy films. This movie was like a change from all those superheroes and heroines, all those lonely champions fighting a single-handed war, all those supernatural horror films that end with the monster being vanquished. It was refreshing. I'm not knocking "Panday" and "Darna" and "Aswang"… like any warmblooded Pinoy worth the name, I love them as they are part of national heritage. But the Philippines has a rich tradition in literature, particularly when it comes to mythology and the supernatural, and we have a pantheon of characters from the over fifty tribes that populate these 7, 100+ islands that could give the creatures and heroes from other places a run for their money. It feels great to be able to see at least a few of those creatures make an appearance in the film, especially the immortal Telang Bayawak (Bayawak means monitor lizard). The ubiquitous Filipino brand of humor also makes itself felt in this movie; (you'll have to watch it to know what I mean) and I especially loved the song "Kalansay Rap".

Three boys (Jubal, as played by Jason Salcedo; Sambag (Tamarind) as played by Junell Hernando; and Omar, as played by Marc Solis) set out on a quest to help save their world and learn some valuable lessons along the way. As a non sequitur, I've noticed that the name Jubal seems to be Igorot, which is a tribe from Luzon, the largest island group; Sambag is a Visayan word, from the Visayan islands, and Omar is a name found among the Moslem tribes of the Mindanao island group, which accounts for the three major island groups that make up the Philippine archipelago.

Anyway, watch it and love it (with English subtitles, of course, since it's in Tagalog). You won't be disappointed.

I've seen this movie countless of times, still, it never gets old. The story itself suffices in drawing you in.

It's an adventure-filled movie revolving around the experiences of three teenage boys who possess magical abilities. It is fun, original, imaginative and definitely has a story to tell!

In all honesty, this is a top quality film which is worth the numerous awards and recognition it garnered. The cast is perfect and so is the music. But above all things, the story tops it all. The creative minds of the authors are surely manifested in the movie.

It'd be a waste not to watch this magnificent masterpiece. A must-see movie!

What a trip to my childhood! Although I was born a year after this was released, I grew up seeing this on our television along with the other 90s flicks. I knew it was a cult classic but I never really remembered what it was about. In celebration of Peque Gallaga's life, I jumped at the chance to watch it again on iWant. I'm telling you, I was captivated at the first minutes. In an instant, I got transported back to the days where my cousins and I would watch movies at the Cinema One early in the morning. But more than the nostalgia, I was amazed how well-made it was. The music was so moving! Cinematography was therapeutic. And the writing was truly comforting. I just think that some action sequences were too dragging and that it lost its momentum several times in an effort to expand the world. Nevertheless, it's a landmark film through and through! I'm just utterly sad because they don't make it now like they used to!

Today, the Philippine mainstream cinema is flooded by stories of teenage romance, adult crisis, and mindless comedy disguised as family movies. A futile attempt in one size fits all approach that continues to kill the audience and paralyze the art of filmmaking. What happened to the stories of the children? We are fond of saying that the children are the future of our country but what can they hope for when their sense of heritage and nationalism are replaced by quick and irrelevant entertainment. How will their creativity get honed when they are dispassionately exposed to technology without a solid root of their homes? I firmly believe that it's high time to revisit what the new generation of young Filipinos are consuming.

In Magic Temple, we were reminded how we led our lives with strong regard for the Filipino values. We defy anyone who harms our friends or families. Our culture of respect recognizes the differences and acknowledges our shortcomings. Learning is a vital tool in our survival that provides us the experience to champion our struggles. Now, everything is turning blurry. We openly welcome the tyrants in our homes. The sense of unity is nowhere to be found as every Filipino fights for themselves and terrorizes others. Respect is nothing but a strange concept now for many. Clearly, more than building life for the present and future Filipino children, all Filipino adults must look themselves in the mirror and reflect on their own upbringing. Have we lived up to the values of our Magic Temple days? Will Jubal, Sambag, and Omar be proud of how we all turned out? We all once dreamed of an adventure like them and now that we have our own missions to accomplish, we must keep in our hearts all the lessons of wonder and bravery they left us.

RIP Peque Gallaga.