Philbert Dy
@philbertdy.bsky.social
Filipino film critic. Amateur semiotician. Head of publications at QCinema International Film Festival.
Meet, Greet & Bye ('25 Cathy Garcia-Sampana): Some great acting in this, but I think it overdoes things.
November 12, 2025 at 5:06 AM
Meet, Greet & Bye ('25 Cathy Garcia-Sampana): Some great acting in this, but I think it overdoes things.
The Running Man ('25 Edgar Wright): I think it kind of flubs the climax, but it's a really fun time overall.
November 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM
The Running Man ('25 Edgar Wright): I think it kind of flubs the climax, but it's a really fun time overall.
Bugonia ('25 Yorgos Lanthimos): Still processing where it goes, but I can definitely say it's weird and fun.
November 3, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Bugonia ('25 Yorgos Lanthimos): Still processing where it goes, but I can definitely say it's weird and fun.
Everyone Knows Every Juan ('25 Alessandra de Rossi): Script could have used some pruning, but it's formally audacious, and the performances make it fun.
October 20, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Everyone Knows Every Juan ('25 Alessandra de Rossi): Script could have used some pruning, but it's formally audacious, and the performances make it fun.
My full review of Jerrold Tarog's "Quezon" for Spot www.spot.ph/entertainmen...
'Quezon' Is Clever, Entertaining, Best Seen as a Culmination of a Trilogy
<p>But it tends to explain things a little too much.</p>
www.spot.ph
October 18, 2025 at 1:20 AM
My full review of Jerrold Tarog's "Quezon" for Spot www.spot.ph/entertainmen...
Quezon ('25 Jerrold Tarog): Spells things out a little too much for me, but it's otherwise a really entertaining dissection of a very flawed man.
October 12, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Quezon ('25 Jerrold Tarog): Spells things out a little too much for me, but it's otherwise a really entertaining dissection of a very flawed man.
No Other Choice ('25 Park Chan-wook): Painfully funny. A really smart dissection of the cutthroat nature of Capitalism.
October 9, 2025 at 5:25 AM
No Other Choice ('25 Park Chan-wook): Painfully funny. A really smart dissection of the cutthroat nature of Capitalism.
Stuff I wrote on Letterboxd about the Cinemalaya films letterboxd.com/philbertdy/t...
All reviews tagged ‘cinemalaya-21’ by Philbert Dy
All reviews tagged ‘cinemalaya-21’ by Philbert Dy
letterboxd.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Stuff I wrote on Letterboxd about the Cinemalaya films letterboxd.com/philbertdy/t...
Paglilitis ('25 Cheska Marfori): Mostly a bummer, on several levels.
October 7, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Paglilitis ('25 Cheska Marfori): Mostly a bummer, on several levels.
Here's the first chunk of my reviews for this year's Cinemalaya. www.spot.ph/entertainmen...
The Reviews Are In: What's Sexy, What's Fresh, What's Really Good at Cinemalaya 2025
<p>A fresh take on Pinoy lesbian relations makes for very appealing cinema.</p>
www.spot.ph
October 7, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Here's the first chunk of my reviews for this year's Cinemalaya. www.spot.ph/entertainmen...
Republika ng Pipolipinas ('25 Renei Dimla): A touch overlong, but I'd still die for President Cora.
October 6, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Republika ng Pipolipinas ('25 Renei Dimla): A touch overlong, but I'd still die for President Cora.
Bloom Where You are Planted ('25 Noni Abao): A great, truly moving documentary. Fully expect that the MTRCB is going to give it an X.
October 6, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Bloom Where You are Planted ('25 Noni Abao): A great, truly moving documentary. Fully expect that the MTRCB is going to give it an X.
Raging ('25 Ryan Machado): Easy to acknowledge its considerable merits. I wish it pushed further.
October 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Raging ('25 Ryan Machado): Easy to acknowledge its considerable merits. I wish it pushed further.
Open Endings ('25 Nigel Santos): Slowly fills a sapphic powder keg, then eventually lights a match.
October 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Open Endings ('25 Nigel Santos): Slowly fills a sapphic powder keg, then eventually lights a match.
Cinemartyrs ('25 Sari Dalena): Not convinced that fully worked, but you have to appreciate the absolutely bonkers attempt.
October 5, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Cinemartyrs ('25 Sari Dalena): Not convinced that fully worked, but you have to appreciate the absolutely bonkers attempt.
Child No 82 ('25 Tim Rone Villanueva): The plot doesn't really work moment to moment, but it's fun.
October 5, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Child No 82 ('25 Tim Rone Villanueva): The plot doesn't really work moment to moment, but it's fun.
Padamlagan ('25 Jenn Romano): Very well composed, though it felt slight.
October 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Padamlagan ('25 Jenn Romano): Very well composed, though it felt slight.
Warla ('25 Kevin Z. Alambra): Its best bits reminded me of Eduardo Roy Jr. Wish it had more structure, though.
October 4, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Warla ('25 Kevin Z. Alambra): Its best bits reminded me of Eduardo Roy Jr. Wish it had more structure, though.
Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan ('25 Dustin Celestino): An interesting reckoning, even if it gets painfully literal at times.
October 4, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan ('25 Dustin Celestino): An interesting reckoning, even if it gets painfully literal at times.
The Smashing Machine ('25 Benny Safdie): A strong, very human portrait of the totally insane world of professional fighting.
September 30, 2025 at 1:43 PM
The Smashing Machine ('25 Benny Safdie): A strong, very human portrait of the totally insane world of professional fighting.
Selda Tres ('25 GB Sampedro): Kind of insane? Could have a been a serious examination of the deficiencies of the Philippine legal system, but ends up being a comedy that's so much about a crush that goes nowhere.
September 25, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Selda Tres ('25 GB Sampedro): Kind of insane? Could have a been a serious examination of the deficiencies of the Philippine legal system, but ends up being a comedy that's so much about a crush that goes nowhere.
Minamahal: 100 Bulaklak Para Kay Luna ('25 Jason Paul Laxamana): It's mostly a nothing burger. I think there might be something to this Ashtine Olviga, though.
September 25, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Minamahal: 100 Bulaklak Para Kay Luna ('25 Jason Paul Laxamana): It's mostly a nothing burger. I think there might be something to this Ashtine Olviga, though.
Altar Boy ('21 Serville Poblete): Sweet enough by the end. There's a lot of it we've seen before, though.
September 25, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Altar Boy ('21 Serville Poblete): Sweet enough by the end. There's a lot of it we've seen before, though.
Jeongbu ('25 Topel Lee): Gets kind of interesting in the last stretch, but it's far too late by then. Suffers from trying too hard to hide an obvious twist.
September 24, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Jeongbu ('25 Topel Lee): Gets kind of interesting in the last stretch, but it's far too late by then. Suffers from trying too hard to hide an obvious twist.
Madawag and Landas Pantungong Pag-Asa ('25 Joel Lamangan): Means well, I suppose, but it doesn't add up to anything.
September 24, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Madawag and Landas Pantungong Pag-Asa ('25 Joel Lamangan): Means well, I suppose, but it doesn't add up to anything.