My Movie World: Philippine Cinema: Highlights and Best of 2014

It's been an amazing year for Philippine Cinema. 2014 proved to be another outstanding year for the local film industry. Palatable romance, Post-apocalyptic, Satire, Wattpad adaptation and genre films with twist dominate our local films this year. International recognition for our local films and annual film festivals make the Philippine Cinema still alive and kicking. On that note, I'll give you the highlights of Philippine Cinema for 2014.

Let's start with the international recognition of our local films abroad, Lav Diaz's film, From What Is Before (Mula sa Kung Ano Ako Noon) won the Golden Leopard at the 2014 Locarno Film Festival. The same festival also gave the film's lead actress Hazel Orencio best actress award . The film also won the Audience Award/Best International Film in 38th Sāo Paulo International Film Festival. Magkakabaung by Jason Paul Laxamana also won several awards abroad which includes, NETPAC award for Best Asian Film in Hanoi International Film Festival and 2 Best Actor for the lead star Allen Dizon which he got in Harlem and Hanoi International Film Festival. Other films recognize and won award abroad are: Barber's Tale, Kamkam, In Nomine Matris, Quick Change, Mulat, Bamboo Flowers, Ekstra, Lilet Never Happened, Bwakaw, Bamboo Flowers, Shift, Rekorder, and Bwaya.

Aside from his film Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon making buzz abroad, Lav Diaz's most successful film in terms of Box Office due to its numerous screenings and commercial run in 2014, Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan was chosen as the Philippine entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 87th Academy Awards. Even if the film didn't make it on short list, Norte has been able to gave us a fair fight by getting nominated at the Independent Spirit Awards for Best International Film and at 35th London Film Critics’ Circle Awards for Foreign Language Film of the Year.

After the bandwagon of mistress theme in our mainstream local flicks, now the trend is on the craze for wattpad adaptation. The phenomenal Diary ng Panget produced by Viva Films pioneered the success of Wattpad adaptation, followed by another box-office hits for the film, She's Dating The Gangster and Talkback and You're Dead. More to come on 2015 for the film adaptation like: The Bet, Teen Clash, Never Talk Back To A Gangster and Ex With Benefits. Not only in movie but also in TV, wattpadd has been able to crossover, to name some are My App #Boyfie and Bagito by ABS-CBN and TV5's Wattpad presents series like: My Tag Boyfriend and Mr. Popular Meets Miss Nobody.

Annual Independent Local Film Festivals: Cinemalaya, Sineng Pambansa, QCinema, Cinema One Originals, QCinema International Pink Film Festival, and MMFF New Wave still continue to produce quality local films.

Quality Films of Cinemalaya: Dagitab, Bwaya, The Janitior, Kasal, Children's Show, Mariquina and #Y.

Strong Line-Up from Cinema One Originals 2014, half of which make to my list of Best Films of 2014: Violator, Espirit De Corps, Lorna. That Thing Called Tadhana and Red

Out of the box films from Cinema One Originals: Violator, Bitukang Manok, Hindi Sila Tatanda and Soap Opera

Not your ordinary romantic film: That Thing Called Tadhana, Dagitab, She's Dating The Gangster, 1st Ko Si 3rd, Relaks, Its Just Pag-ibig and English Only, Please.

Ensemble casts performance for the movies: Violator, Lorna, #Y, Children's Show, Mariquina and Barber's Tale

Rookie filmmaker of the year: Gian Carlo Abrahan (Dagitab), Eduardo Dayao (Violator), Ida Anita Del Mundo (K'na, the Dreamweaver), Derick Cabrido (Children's Show), Diane Ventura (Mulat), Alec Figuracion (Bitukang Manok), and Malay Javier (Hindi Sila Tatanda)

Quality Local Pink Films: Unfriend, Kasal and Esprit De Corp

Films that I gave a perfect rating: Dagitab, Documented, The Gifted, Esprit De Corps, Lorna, Ulam Episode, Shake Rattle and Roll XV and Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles

Films that I almost gave a perfect rating: Beauty in A Bottle, Violator and Little Azkals

Box Office Hits for 2014: Starting Over Again, Bride For Rent, She's Dating The Gangster, The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin, Feng Shui and Maybe This Time

My Best Popcorn Movies: Past Tense, Beauty In A Bottle, She's Dating The Gangster, Starting Over Again, Diary ng Panget The Movie, Somebody To Love, The Gifted, Shake, Rattle and Roll XV, Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles and English Only, Please

Phenomenal Movies of the Year: Bride For Rent, Diary ng Panget The Movie and English Only, Please

Best Documentaries: Documented, Little Azkals, Cemetery Life and Nick and Chai

Best Short Films: Lola, Indayog ng Nayatamak, Tila, Kinabukasan, The End is Bigger Than Love, Porferia, Kalaw, Bundok Chubibo

My Best TV Series in ABS-CBN: The Legal Wife and Forevermore

My Best TV Series in GMA: Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real and More Than Words

Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role in TV Series: Angel Locsin - The Legal Wife and Jennylyn Mercado - Rhodora X

Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role in TV Series: Dingdong Dantes - Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real

Films that dominate my blog for the most number of views: That Thing Called Tadhana, English Only, Please, Kamkam, Talk Back and You're Dead, Relaks, Its' Just Pag-ibig, Sa Ngalan ng Ama Ina at mga Anak, Diary ng Panget The Movie, The Trial, #Y, Moron 5.2 The Transformation, Past Tense, Hustisya, Maria Leonora Teresa, Beauty in a Bottle, Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2 and Shake, Rattle and Roll XV

Love Team that made noise this year on their movies that they've done.

Kim Chui and Xian Lim (KimXi) for the films: Bride for Rent and Past Tense

Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (Kathniel) for the film: She's Dating The Gangster

Phenomenal Loveteam of 2014: James Reid and Nadine Lustre (Jadine) - For the films: Diary ng Panget The Movie and Talk Back and You're Dead

Breakthrough Actors of 2014: Matt Daclan for the film Soap Opera, and Ynigo Pascaul for the film Relaks, Its Just Pag-ibig

Breakthrough Actress of 2014: Loren Burgos for the film Mulat, and Sofia Andres for the film Relaks, Its Just Pag-ibig and She's Dating The Gangster.

Filmmaker of the Year: Antoniette Jadaone For the excellence in filmmaking for the films: Relaks, Its Just Pag-ibig, Beauty in A Bottle and That Thing Called Tadhana

Actors that made noise this year on their movies that they've done.

1. Sandino Martin - For excellence performance as supporting and lead actor for the films: Unfriend, Dagitab and Esprit De Corps

2. Allen Dizon - For excellence performance as lead actor for the films: Magkakabaung, Children's Show and Kamkam

3. John Lloyd Cruz - For excellence performance as lead actor for the film: The Trial

4. Dennis Trillo - For excellence performance as lead actor for the films: The Janitor and Shake, Rattle and Roll XV

5. Jericho Rosales - For excellence performance as supporting and lead actor for the films: Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo, ABNKKBSNPLAko?! The Movie and Red

5. Coco Martin - For excellence performance as lead actor for the films:Feng Shui and Maybe This Time

7. Derek Ramsay - For the films: Trophy Wife, The Janitor and English Only, Please

8. Matteo Guidicelli - For the films: Somebody To Love, Moron 5: The Transformation and Shake, Rattle and Roll XV

Actress that made noise this year on their movies that they've done.

1. Eula Valdez - For excellence performance as lead actress for the film: Dagitab

2. Eugene Domingo - For excellence performance as lead actress for the film: Barber's Tale

3. Angelica Panganiban - For excellence performance as lead actress for the film: That Thing Called Tadhana and Beauty in a Bottle

4. Nora Aunor - For excellence performance as lead actress for the film: Hustisya and Dementia

5. Sharmaine Buencamino - For excellence performance as lead actress for the film:Lorna. Other films done: Alienasyon, Tres, Tumbang Preso, and Maybe This Time