FOR ARTS SAKE

ART, SEX AND MALE NUDITY

I was invited yesterday by my two friends to watch the 2014 indie film “Esprit de Corps” at 'Cinema 76, a movie theatre located in a quiet residential area in San Juan suburb. The micro-theatre with a capacity of about 60 seats, is a haven for film buffs and Indie film lovers, so just in case you might have missed the limited theatre run of popular indie films, just check out the line-up of movies up for showing at 'Cinema 76 website. Regular ticket price is set at P150 only.

“Esprit de Corps” is an adaptation of Auraeus Solito's play of the same title in the 1980's about the game of seduction and ranks in the ROTC. It’s an unusual story of two cadets and their pursuit to outsmart a corrupt Major Marcus for his position. The movie is set at a Catholic school for boys a few years before the Marcos dictatorship fell from power. The long and grueling interrogation scenes and male nudity may be a bit shocking to some but I tell you this is a good watch film. I’ve heard people before who walked out from cinema feeling that they’ve watched a movie that’s isn't worth their money but “Esprit de Corps” is a good deal of entertainment; it’s the kind of movie that stickily secure the audience to their seats from start to finish and mind you, all the seats inside the theater were all filled up (mainly millenials.)).

Hats off to the impressive performances of the three lead stars JC Santos, Sandino Martin Jr and VJ Mendoza. I wished that they be given more breaks in showbiz because they really deserved it and of course congratulations to the director of the movie Auraeus Solito AKA Kanakan Baligtagos for coming up with an engaging film. He’s also the director of another gay themed and acclaimed movie “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros.”

After watching the movie we walked around the area looking for a place to eat. We then went inside a new mall. There were a variety of choices: from gourmet to "tapsilog" but we ended up having our late dinner at sidestreet fastfood restaurant and then we headed back to our friend's place for late night converstation until it was time to go home at 1:00 a.m.