Segunda Mano

The Bag. One of the symbolism of the film. Lol I don't get this though

Segunda Mano (English: Second Hand) is a 2011 Filipino horror-suspense film starring Kris Aquino and Dingdong Dantes. It is produced by Star Cinema, and co-produced by Agostodos Pictures, and MJM Productions. It is an official entry to the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival. (Initial information from Wikipedia.)

Main Cast:

Kris Aquino - Mabel
Dingdong Dantes - Ivan
Angelica Panganiban - Mariella
Bangs Garcia - Anna
Jhong Hilario - Dindo
Helen Gamboa - Adela

Mariella (Angelica Panganiban) who is heavily injured, seeks for help

Plot:
 Late at night while driving near a lake, Mariella was killed by her lover Owen, for suddenly backing out with their elopement. Mariella's husband, Ivan forgets Mariella as he sees that Mariella doesn't love him anymore and just decides to move on with their daughter, Angel. Ivan finally meets a new lover, Mabel and have a new relationship again. But their relationship worsens when Mariella starts haunting Mabel after accidentally buying Mariella's bag at a second-hand shop of bags and eventually buying her dress accidentally at a thrift shop.

Story Analysis:

The story shows the concept of  "Segunda Mano" (Second Hand) in relationships. Being a second in a relationship can be painful and can lead into sadness and obsession.

Segunda Mano in Family Relationship.
Mabel has been always lonely for 20 years for thinking that her mother doesn't love her and blames her for the death of her younger daughter, Marie at the sea. Mabel's mother, Adela was never able to get over of the loss of her daughter and still misses her even after 20 years.

Mabel thinks that because of this, her mother is only with her because of her responsibility and not because she loves her. This made her feel that she is just a "second" or "segunda mano" for her mother.

Ivan (Dingdong Dantes)

Ivan, also feels the same. After being replaced by Mariella over a lover, he feels that his family is not complete. He longs to have a complete family for his daughter Angel, and sees Mabel as a woman who will complete the family he has ever dreamed of. His dream of having a complete family rooted from his background of having a broken family where his mother also had an affair with another man and witnessed how his father suffered it.

Segunda Mano in Love Relationship.
Ivan has always felt the pain of being a "second" in a relationship with Mariella. That is why he has been obsessed in keeping his woman with care and has to make sure that his new woman will stay with him. Mabel experienced this. Even though she felt love from Ivan, she felt being handled by a possessive man as Ivan starts getting strict with her with meeting other men such as Dindo who is only Mabel's friend.

Other characters such as Samantha has experienced this "segunda mano" or being "second" in a relationship. She has secret desires for Ivan but she was unfortunate because Mariella had become the first for Ivan and after Mariella is gone, she attempts to be the first but unfortunately becomes not nearly second when Ivan already found his true love in Mabel.

All people wants to be the first for the people they love, obsession takes place when they really want to be first hardly and falls into desperation. But with understanding each other, the status of being first and second can be broken and can make a relationship complete.

Rating:

-Sound: 

-Cinematography: 

 -Actors:

-Story:

 -Personal Interest:

 -Overall:

Sound. The sounds are actually high quality. It's effective in bringing suspense elements. I don't know about the soundtrack though, I wasn't able to remember anything of it if it had any.

A scene that I didn't seem to see at the movie, only at the trailer. This is actually a good horror scene.

Cinematography. The cinematography was great. It was able to explain the story very well. The effects were good even the digital ones except for making the ghost appear through a TV signal effect, which doesn't fit the theme of Segunda Mano. It is creepy but not for a film like this. Such effect is used if the story has technology elements such as Kairo - Pulse and The Ring.

Mabel (Kris Aquino) effectively execute a disturbed look

Actors. At first, I was doubting why Dingdong Dantes won as best actor with this film. It seems like his plain acting at first but he surprised me with his effectively portrayal of an obsessive and psychotic man. Now I understand why he won. Kris Aquino never fails to amaze me with her acting, she is really far from her usual self when acting. It's as if she is really a kind a different person. Bangs Garcia is actually a comic relief. She is really funny and made the film less serious and brightened up dull moments. Helen Gamboa was also excellent in portraying a mother who lost and misses her daughter.

Story. The plot twists and construction was great but the presentation was lacking. Even though the film is expressive, it was predictable. I won't be telling you big spoilers here so I won't elaborate. At least I appreciate the story and it touched me by the way.

Mariella (Angelica Panganiban)

Personal Interest. I'm not really interested with Philippine horror films because they are usually flop, meaning they are only made for the sake of the fans who wants to see their favorite stars more than the story. But I'm not even going to lie, Segunda Mano is still flop but it's not that really bad than the previous flop movies that I had watched. There is improvement in this film for story development and I hope this will continue in the coming horror films to be made.

The Doll. Belongs to Marie. Symbolism of Mabel's family being stuck with the past where Marie was still a child.

Overall. I don't actually recommend people to watch this but it's not really disappointing to watch. But I already warned you that it might be a flop. But for me, I can stand it because of the good story.

Manila Kingpin: The Story of Asiong Salonga

Asiong and the Gang. From Left - Right: Kiko (Ketchup Eusebio), Bimbo (Yul Servo), Asiong (Joerge Estregan) and Erning (Baron Geisler)

Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story is an action-biopic film. It is also an official entry of the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival. Produced by Scenema Concept International (released through Viva Films) and under the direction of Tikoy Aguiluz, the film stars Jeorge "E.R." Estregan in the title role, with Carla Abellana and Phillip Salvador. "Manila Kingpin" is based on the story of the notorious gang leader in Tondo named Nicasio "Asiong" Salonga, whose true-to-life accounts had been portrayed in several movie versions since 1961 (starring Joseph Estrada). It is also the the first Filipino major film produced in black-and-white in the 21st century as well as the returning action genre movie. (Initial information from: Wikipedia)




Main Cast

    Jeorge "E.R." Estregan - Nicasio "Asiong" Salonga
    Phillip Salvador - Domeng Salonga (Asiong's brother)
    Carla Abellana - Fidela Salonga (Asiong's wife)
    John Regala - Totoy Golem
    Baron Geisler - Erning "Toothpick" Reyes
    Yul Servo - Bimbo
    Ronnie Lazaro - Boy Zapanta
    Dennis Padilla - Tambol
    Ketchup Eusebio - Kiko
    Ping Medina - Piring
    Gerald Ejercito - Badong
    Amay Bisaya - Ayes Gago
    Roi Vinzon - Viray
    Joko Diaz - Pepeng Hapon
    Archie Adamos - Turong Pajo
    Roldan Aquino - Police Chief Henry Vilagonzalo Jr.




Plot:

In the slums of Tondo, Asiong Salonga is feared and respected by people. He is a notorious leader of a gang that vows to take care of all the people specially the poor under his claimed territory which is Tondo. But unfortunately, There are also other gangs who wants to claim Tondo for their own, specially the gang of Totoy Golem - the rival of Asiong Salonga.

Will Asiong Salonga be able to defend his territory? Will he go through all of this and settle for a peaceful life?

Story Analysis:

Asiong, comforting his wife Fidela (Carla Abellana)

 The movie is a representation of the darker side of the Philippines. Even in the early days, poverty has consumed the country, specially in the towns like Tondo. Everyone is striving to live, even resorting to violence if they have to. Many people starts to make gangs, make illegal connections to obtain firearms illegally. Everything is competing for power - survival of the fittest, with high sense of territoriality. People who have the guts to be powerful, terrifies the weaker ones, getting money from them by force and eventually they make underground businesses for income. Aside of struggling for power, the movie shows how even governing bodies do dirty businesses, it is not just today that this kind of politics exist but even in the past. Police like Police Chief Henry Vilagonzalo Jr. is portrayed as a policeman who can be bribed. He was bribed by Totoy Golem to go against only to Asiong Salonga's Gang. Politicians are also shown to pay gangs to kill their enemies for election and to also protect themselves from these gangs.

Asiong's Gang and their illegal firearms

Asiong in the other hand, is not your ordinary gang leader. He is also a face of a typical Filipino.

He is religious. Even all the violence he has gone through, he stays devoted to the Father, Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. He always prays for his safety in his battles and as well as his family.

Asiong Salonga visiting his mother. You can see his softer side towards his mother

He is family oriented. He loves his family so much, specially his mother to whom he displays great respect and leaves all the toughie-act aside whenever he is with her. In the whole movie, one of the things that he pained him the most is when he have lost his mother.

What made him unique as a gang leader is his sense of helpfulness. He has empathized with his fellow neighbors at Tondo, and always shares their income with them and protects them from other abusive gangs. This is why he is described as a "Robin Hood."

He have good intentions but has achieved this through a different way.


Finally, This films show a part of our society that has always been there that many people can witness this kind of morbid reality but has never found the solution to change this situation. People resort into being violent not because they want to, but because they have no choice. People in power have deprived them of the help they need to change.


Rating:

-Sound: 

-Cinematography: 

 -Actors:

-Story:

 -Personal Interest:

 -Overall:

Sound. The soundtrack and sound effects in this film is really well executed. You can feel the atmosphere of the 50s or something when you hear the soundtracks, natural sounds and other sound effects. The Theme Song "La Paloma" by Ely Buendia brings you back to the dreamy oldies atmosphere that helps you to feel romantic in Asiong and Fidela's dancing scene. The other Theme Song "Hari ng Tondo" by Gloc-9 and Denise is my favorite though, even though the film is set into the  50s, the lively rap and pop song still fit into the film as if it is giving hope at the ending of the film.

The Kalesa Fight Scene. One of the outstanding action scenes of the film.

Cinematography. The cinematography was also well done. It might not be necessarily following the professional or the usual ways of a mainstream film's cinematography, it has an experimental or indie feel used in it such as the shaky handling of the camera, which in a way still ends up neat and not irritating in the eyes, the black and white filter also helped the film to bring out the 50s atmosphere, as if you are watching an old film and yet it still feels modern. Other scenes which have cinematic films are the actions scenes like the Kalesa Chase, the Gun Duel in the rain and the parade battle. The elements of fight was perfectly captured and blended well with effects, as if you are watching a Hollywood action film.

Actors. In terms of actors, I find them mediocre. Specially the main actor Estregan, though I praise him for his action scenes. I don't feel much feelings from him specially in his scenes with his wife, Fidela. It is as if he is just harassing his wife in their first scene where he just kisses her rapidly, and I don't even feel romantic when he convinces his wife to not worry for him where in fact, it should be romantic. I don't also feel Carla Abellana as an outstanding actress here as well, because her acting seems monotonous, I have seen her as Elery in various GMA soap operas such as "Kung Aagawin mo ang langit", "Rosalinda" and "Magic Palayok" but all I can see is the same Carla Abellana all over again. But I praise her for her great register at the screen, she is really beautiful. In the end, I can say that all other actors are better than the first two I mentioned above.  

Story. The story is great. It has touched me and I even cried at the end. The story has also shown the bond of friendship and just a light theme of love for the country. But even all of this, there is still betrayal and as what Asiong said in the film: "The most painful way to die is to be killed by a friend." or something like that.

Yeah!!! Shoot 'em all!

Personal Interest. Well, the film is action and centers in the violence of manly-men. Violence this, violence that. Do you think I really like this? Well no. Lol. But what made me interested in the film is the presentation. The indie-uesqe presentation really made me curious what the film would look like. What I didn't really like in the film is that it is not feminist, you can see how women are treated lowly such as Fidela, as a wife she is only seen as a person who will take care of the children and who will stay at the house. Asiong also has other women such as Meilin and the Ticket booth girl. Well, what can I do? The movie is set in the 50s, that would be natural because the society was not really fully aware of women's potentials back then.

The mafia wars.

Overall. I recommend this to people and encourage them to watch this! It is really an epic and a new form of action-genre of the Philippine film. If action films are like this, and improve more than this, Filipinos can compete their action films internationally.