i really don't have plans of watching this movie in the first place because the title itself failed to tickle my curiosity. but for three reasons i managed to convince myself to do so:
- it won the best picture award in the recent MMFF-Philippines
- my good friend Lester was part of the team in-charge of research in this movie (good job! *klap klap klap*)
- i got some "semi" free tickets to any movies in the film fest in any cinema (you only pay P5 at the ticket booth ^_^)
and so with the measly amount i didn't expected too much from this movie.
but it turned out that i was able to convince myself that every peso i will pay for watching it even without the free ticket is very much worth its value.
baler is a movie set during the spanish era and is about how the locals fought for their liberation. and amidst the war and wary it also tells of a love story of a native (feliza played by anne curtis) and a half spanish soldier (celso played by me, i mean jericho rosales) and how they defied and battled all the odds to prove their love despite the strong objection of feliza's parents.
there are a lot of interesting points in this story and if you are some kind of a history buff you'll really enjoy watching it. how the spanish soldiers stayed for almost a year inside the town chapel to serve as their base and shelter, the treacheries, and the turn of events.
all in all, the movie was well done with the help of the great actors and a real good story line. i'd say it is really deserving of its award and a really nice movie to watch.
and the place. i never thought baler is such a paradise. would consider visiting it sometime.
