Ang Nawawalang Barangay

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Ang baklang paroloristang si Brigido o mas kilala ng kanyang mga ka-barangay bilang BREE ay suma-sideline sa barangay hall bilang receptionist kaya naman siya ang unang-unang naging punong abala sa paghahanap ng mga nawawala. Mukhang supernatural ang datingan ng mga pangyayari. Ang siste, bigla na lang nawawala ang mga tao na tila ba nage-evaporate gaya ng nangyari kay Sonia na isa sa mga nag-report kay Bree. Sinamahan niya ito sa bahay ng nawawala nilang ka-barangay na aktibista na si Corazon. Pagpasok sa bahay ay nakaramdam na lang si Bree ng ubod na lamig na tila ba naka-aircon at biglang sa isang iglap ay wala na si Sonia. Sa pagpapatuloy ng misteryo, magkukumpulan ang mga taga-Barangay Talong Punay sa kulto ni Baby Gerl, isang naulilang bata na lumaking may mga naririnig na boses na sa kanyang palagay ay galing sa mga anghel. Mahahanap pa kaya nila Bree ang mga nawawalang ka-barangay?

Digger

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Oil tycoon Digger Rockwell (Tom Cruise) receives bad news from the team of his oil rig in Greenland. The excessive digging they have been conducting on the island by virtue of a backdoor deal spearheaded by the United States government has caused a build up of methane, resulting in an explosion that dislodges an ice shelf six times the size of Washington DC. According to scientific expert Dr. Nirav Ganesh (Riz Ahmed), the ice shelf will be drifting southeast and is bound to collide with Norway’s southwestern coast in three days, unleashing a tsunami that will result in millions of deaths in coastal cities along the North Sea. An emergency meeting is held with President Compson (John Goodman) of the United States in which they discuss their options. Should they blow up the ice shelf? Warn Europe? Wash their hands clean of the responsibility? Their problem gets even more complicated when another ice shelf, this time on the Bering Strait, detaches itself and drifts straight toward a collision course with Alaska.

Verity

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World-renowned author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) is taking some time off despite constant pressure from her publishing house to churn out another bestseller. The truth is she figured in a car accident and is physically and mentally unable to write, which prompts her husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett) to seek a ghostwriter who can organize his wife’s disorganized thoughts in the form of notes and hopefully come up with a novel from there. Published but unrenowned novelist Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) is hesitant to step in, fearing that Verity’s readership will feel the difference in voice and tone. After some convincing from Jeremy as well as a payday that her penurious life cannot refuse, Lowen moves in with the Crawfords and meets the now catatonic and paralyzed writer. As she organizes her notes and finds a secret unpublished manuscript, the pressure almost drives her mad, seeing Verity stalking her around the house, unable to determine whether it’s real or hallucination.

Forgotten Island

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1990’s, the Philippines. Two schoolmates find a best friend in each other, one being a natural born genius and the other a free spirit raised by her grandmother Lola Fatima (Dolly de Leon). Jo (H.E.R.) grows up without much plan in life despite her inclination toward the arts, taking on a part-time job as a fastfood cashier and mascot. Raissa (Liza Soberano), on the other hand, will be flying to California to go to Caltech. As they spend their last night together at the beach reminiscing about the good old times, their arguments are interrupted by a portal which takes them to the forgotten island of Nakali where Jo’s Lola claimed to have gone in the past and even befriended a Kapre or two. Lost and confused, Jo and Raissa are found by a were-dog named Raww (Dave Franco), who takes them to the only creature on the island who he thinks could help them, a memory demon called Batiba (Jenny Slate) who trades favors for memories. Things get complicated when Raissa finds herself with wings which she is said to have stolen from the dreaded Manang (Lea Salonga), a hostile Manananggal feared by everyone on the island.

Touch Me Now

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The Dela Costa clan belongs to a socioeconomic elite that dictates what goes on in the Philippine political landscape. Marcelo is the only living son left to matriarch Conchita, whose devotion to Our Lady of Navire is equal to none. He occupies a post that gives him leeway for some societal engineering, micromanaging everything behind the scenes for those in power. His wife Josefina's only concern is getting her eight hours of sleep every night. Their older son Marcelito is active at university and is slowly but surely being drawn into the influence of his rallyist classmates. Younger son Joselito, on the other hand, is exploring his sexuality at an all-boys high school in Mandaluyong. Meanwhile, some family cousins run their own businesses: one, controlling what is published in print through the country's largest broadsheet which she owns; the other, being the proprietor of La Sirena, an underground den that attracts the rich and the powerful to secretly indulge in their carnal and narcotic desires.

Pan de Monio

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Payak lamang ang pamumuhay ng magkaibigang Aves at Teroy Peklat sa bayan ng Antipolo. Hindi man malaya dahil sa pamamahala ng mga Kastila ay nakapag-aaral naman ang dalawa at nangunguna pa nga sa kanilang paaralan pagdating sa katalinuhan. Isang araw ay may matutuklasang krokis si Teroy Peklat sa kanilang kubo na mabilis niyang ipakikita kay Aves. Ang krokis ay naglalaman ng isang uri ng pagsusulat na hindi nila kilala at parurusahan pa nga sila ng Fraile dahil ayon sa kanya ay galing sa mga kampon ng kasamaan na sinasamba ng mga sinaunang Pilipino ang mga ito. Isang araw ay isang uwak ang dadalaw kay Aves at magsisimulang dalhan siya ng mga burloloy na gawa sa ginto, pilak at hiyas. Ituturo rin nito sa kanya kinalaunan ang kinalalagyan ng matagal nang hinahanap na nawawalang bantayog ng Birheng Itim na Santa Patron ng Antipolo. Bukod dito ay may matutuklasan pa siya tungkol sa matagal nang nawawalang ama.

Muli (FlipMusic)

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Anita (Kakki Teodoro) has separated from her husband Maki (Marvin Ong) three years ago but her house and her life are still in shambles. She is caught up in a constant state of chaos as she tries to declutter but always fails at the attempt. At least her daughter is supportive. Kath (Janine Teñoso) has always talked about leaving and moving on but for now she serves as her mother’s only emotional support. For how long, she doesn’t know. Anita has been plagued by nightmares lately, what-if scenarios that shake her to the core, some of them including: a life as a successful but politically corrupt real estate developer; a diva in every sense of the word; or even a “momfluencer”. The common theme of her nightmares is that her daughter also exists in those realities but they are estranged. Moving closer toward the edge, their upcoming high school class reunion might just end up being the final straw.

The Notebook (Theatre Group Asia)

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Older Noah (Rody Vera) frequents a nursing home every day to visit Older Allie (Celeste Legaspi) so he could read the contents of a notebook to her. Truth is, she is his wife, who has been suffering from dementia and is quickly losing all memories she holds dear. The contents of the notebook she wrote herself, making him promise to read it to her so she could come back to him. And so he does, despite his own bodily ailments. The notebook begins at their very first meeting when Younger Noah (Benedix Ramos) sets his eyes on Younger Allie (Sheena Belarmino) one summer. The two quickly fall in love but her parents do not approve. A decade or so later, Middle Allie (Morissette Amon) is back in the area and visits the house Middle Noah (Laurence Mossman) has actually built, from a promise he made to her when they were younger.

Filipiñana

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17-year-old Isabel (Jorrybell Agoto) is the newest addition to the roster of “tee-girls” at an exclusive golf course catering to the country’s ultra-rich and a steady flow of Chinese tourists. The president, Dr. Palanca (Teroy Guzman), is always the subject of gossip for his many flings with various employees, much to the chagrin of his ex-Miss Universe wife Maribel (Agot Isidro). Meanwhile, loyal patron and head of golf equipment business Renato (Carlos Siguion-Reyna) tours his New York-based niece Clara (Carmen Castellanos) around the premises, teaching her the basics of the game in hopes that she’d agree to stay in Manila to help run the family business. While the economic elite are enjoying their time engrossed in the game, the tee-girls and caddies are micromanaged military style and have to work under terrible conditions just to get by. It won’t take long before Isabel finds out that she shares something else with Dr. Palanca apart from their Ilocano roots.

Ganggang

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Mel (Raine Dela Cruz) is accustomed to moving house depending on where his father, a soldier, gets assigned by the force. Their latest residence is in a rural community in Bulacan called Barangay Sidhaya. Far from civilization and unaffected by the frenzy of urban Manila, Barangay Sidhaya still teems with activity. Mel meets classmates Ilay (Kenneth “Butchoy” Vincent Mendoza) and Ten-Ten (Don Rishmond Cerbito) who immediately become his best friends, perhaps because all three of them serve as prey for the class bully who happens to be the son of the barangay captain. For entertainment, the kids rely on Ganggang, which involves catching spiders and having them battle one another on a stick. While the children are busy with their games, the adults of the town are caught in a constant risk of getting red-tagged by the military, in an effort to show the country that their anti-communist insurgency initiatives are bearing fruit.

A.ni.mál

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The Peraltas have built a strong foundation as a political dynasty on their home turf. Dan (Jojit Lorenzo) is up for reelection while his wife Ofel (Frances Makil-Ignacio) is a constant companion and campaign manager of Dr. Grace Reyes (Bituin Escalante), who is running to replace her husband Governor Paul (Reymund Domingo). Meanwhile, their daughter Lily Peralta (Maxine Ignacio) spends most of her time at a local animal shelter as a volunteer, taking as many selfies and videos as she can and posting them online to convince herself that her advocacy for animal rights is legit. One evening as she visits Ninong Paul’s mansion to ask for financial favors regarding her advocacy, she catches him in the act of sexually molesting his dog Bella (Bini) with the help of a bottle of peanut butter. She records a video. When she shows the video to her parents, a heated debate erupts in their household.

Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam

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Neil (Martin del Rosario) and Bong (Miguel Odron) have already been romantic partners for half a decade, living together and forming new memories. Neil is even close to Bong’s mother Gloria (Yayo Aguila) who treats him almost like his own son. Their bonds are tested when Bong ends up confined at a hospital. While the doctors say that it is a case of amoebiasis, Bong’s emaciated frame and feeble condition seem to suggest otherwise. To make matters more complicated, relatives from Gloria’s side of the family have been visiting since finding out about Bong’s illness, but Gloria couldn’t introduce Neil properly as her son’s partner because Bong is not out of the closet yet, at least within his family. Bong’s estranged Father (Epy Quizon) also makes an appearance after being gone for so long, further complicating the family dynamics. As Bong’s condition worsens, the revelation of a secret will test the bond they share.

Kaka Sa Yawan

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21-year-old Niko (Beaver Magtalas) comes back to Mindoro to visit his Father (Luis Alandy) as well as the family home. His return triggers visions of his childhood as a young Niko (Bryce Nicolo Mercader) in the province when he and his father decided to move back there to reconnect with his estranged Mother (Nikki Valdez) who was suffering from a terminal illness. That is also the year when his paths crossed with a Tadyawan boy of his age named Ayan (Dennis Dato), with whom he formed a strong bond of friendship. Niko is welcomed in Ayan’s humble abode on the mountains, eventually becoming a regular visitor there. Niko also convinces Ayan to continue his studies and go back to school with him. That summer gives them a life’s worth of happy memories, at least until tragedy strikes and reminds them that everything in life is fleeting, and each moment must be savored as if it were the last.

Hand of God

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Lt. Edgardo Reyes (Ruru Madrid) is relocated from Cotabato to a new assignment, also in Mindanao. The soldiers he commands, who have been stationed there way longer than he, warn him not to trust the locals. Still, he still insists in sharing the joys of football to the town’s children by setting up a goal post and teaching them how to play. True enough, rebel leader Omar (Jhong Hilario) pays the town a visit and orders his men to tear down the goal post so they could melt the steel to make guns. One of the townswomen, Farida (Iza Calzado), is also suspicious of Reyes, but allows her son Khaleel (KD Omalin) who is training under Omar to be a child soldier to join the games as goalie. Soon, Reyes hatches a plan to take the kids to Manila so they can compete there, much to the reluctance of town elder Pak Ismail (Ronnie Lazaro) who fears that such a decision will be seen by the rebels as taking sides.

Status: Rejected

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Virginia Divinagracia (Ruby Ruiz) is one year shy of her 70th anniversary on earth. She lives with her breadwinner daughter Anna (Alessandra de Rossi) who is a single mother to her granddaughter Sophia (Yani Villarosa) who is studying to become a nurse. Virginia also has a son named Clark who is working illegally in the United States, which is one reason why she is eager to get a visa to join him there, but she is denied by the US Embassy for the fourth consecutive time. As Anna becomes more and more vocal about the family’s money problems, Virginia seeks solace in her friend Tessie (Beverly Salviejo) who prods her to beef up her social media accounts. There she meets “Steve”, a retired American soldier looking for love and companionship. He promises to take her with him to America through a fiance visa. Will Virginia finally fulfill her dream of setting foot in the USA?

Mag-iina (The Mothering)

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Anj (Janine Gutierrez) comes back to the family home after a long time spent abroad, mostly in New York. There she meets Yñigo (Lucas Andalio), the orphan boy her aunt Ysobel (Cherry Pie Picache) has adopted and named after her deceased brother. In fact, her father’s 40th day death anniversary is the main reason for her reluctant return, knowing that she’s going to have to deal with her unhinged and perpetually drugged mother Mita (Agot Isidro). And of course, there’s also her grandmother Angela (Jackie Lou Blanco), the headstrong matriarch and national artist who keeps herself locked in her room painting all the time. Meanwhile, loyal househelp Katte (Ness Roque) serves as the bearer of family secrets and constant victim of the family’s not so evident cruelty. When Yñigo the kid starts acting eerily like Yñigo the recently deceased, Anj is thrusted right into the center of the family drama she worked hard all these years to avoid.

Tirik

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Parish priest Bert (Rocco Nacino) takes care of his parishioners and always lends a helping hand to those in need. One of those parishioners is taxi driver Santos (Floyd Tena) who owes the priest a debt of gratitude for his financial assistance to his wife and son. Bert’s parish also serves as a temporary refuge for sleep and rest whenever Santos is left without a place to stay in the wee hours of the morning after driving around the metro. One day, Bert is scheduled to travel all the way to Dasmariñas in Cavite for a church service there. Santos offers his cab and insists to take the priest to wherever it is he ought to be. The road trip takes hours and they have their own fair share of adventures along the way as well as confessions and revelations that might just put their friendship to the test, if they make it through the day in one piece.

2 Valid IDs

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Indigent farmer Silvia (Marietta Subong) travels to Manila to accompany her sick husband Ramon (Joey Marquez) at a public hospital ward where they await his operation. Despite their lack of funds, they find new hope in his New Zealand-based aunt who sends them a little over a hundred thousand pesos in exchange for their land in Pangasinan. The problem is, the remittance center won’t release the funds because Silvia’s postal ID is no longer considered a primary ID. On top of that, she actually needs two valid IDs for her first transaction. Luckily, Silvia has found a loyal assistant in Denver (Zaijian Jaranilla), a college dropout who serves as his comatose grandfather’s carer on the bed next to Ramon’s. As they go through the requirements for getting one of the many listed valid IDs, they realize how ridiculous the process is. But then again, do they really have a choice?

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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Peter Parker (Tom Holland) lives his life alone fighting street-level crime. After the spell that left his identity forgotten by everyone he finds it hard to go on without his ex girlfriend MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon), who have already moved on with their lives without any memory of him. He detects a curious case of “possession” when Scorpion (Michael Mando) is sent to the Department of Damage Control and later breaks out with the help of an unknown superpowered individual with mind control abilities. The assailant tries to get into his mind but somehow he can resist it. His immunity is short-lived, though, when his DNA starts to mutate. His arachnid hormones are overwhelming his human side and he is now able to shoot webs directly out of his wrists without need of blasters. He seeks the help of Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to come up with an inhibitor, but can he really stop a transformation that is naturally meant to happen?

The Iron Heel

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A scholar from the year 2600 AD reviews the unfinished manuscript of Avis Everhard, the daughter of well-known academic John Cunningham. Father and daughter belong to the upper echelons of the wealthy, which is why she is quick to disagree with the socioeconomic and political views of socialist Ernest Everhard, her future husband. Oozing with charisma and gift of gab, Ernest becomes the poster boy of socialism, leaving his audience either in denial or enlightened. Among them are Bishop Morehouse, and Avis herself who decides to investigate the living conditions of factory workers and the unjust treatment of their employers. Ernest warns of the Iron Heel, a catchphrase referring to oligarchs and plutocrats who will eventually rule the country for the next three centuries. As father and daughter get ostracized for their socialist sympathies, Avis and Ernest get married and dive deep into a counter movement to defend the proletariat.

On Your Feet! (9 Works Theatrical)

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Emilio Estefan (Jason Canela) and his band Miami Sound Machine already have an established presence within the Latino community of Florida when he meets Gloria Fajardo (Molly Langley). A combination of mutual attraction and recognition of talent bind them together. While her grandmother Consuelo (Pinky Marquez is encouraging of her musical inclinations, her mother Gloria (Ayen Laurel) is dismissive, owing to her own regrets over a stalled career when she fled the oppressive regime in Cuba. While Gloria is hands-on in her role in the family as big sister to Rebecca (Jani Magadia) and caring daughter to her bedridden war veteran father Jose (John Joven Uy), soon she will have to make a decision whether to prioritize family or her burgeoning career. When Emilio decides to put her front and center of their band, she is thrusted into a world of fame and demanding touring schedules, culminating in a life-changing accident that forces her to reevaluate her life.

The Odyssey

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After the events of the Trojan War, Ithaca is left without a king as Odysseus (Matt Damon) fails to return after almost two decades. His wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) remains queen but is pursued by dozens of suitors who are growing impatient with her reluctance to remarry. The circumstances become especially perilous for their son Telemachus (Tom Holland) who has come of age and is now the subject of every assassination plot of every ambitious suitor wanting to win the hand of the queen. One such suitor is Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who hatches a plan for a roadside ambush. Meanwhile, Odysseus tries to recall the misadventures of his crew while stranded on nymph Calypso’s (Charlize Theron) island, not aware that he has been stuck there for seven years and counting. When he finally makes his way home, he has to confront his wife’s suitors, and so he decides to come back incognito.

Moana (2026)

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Moana (Catherine Laga'aia) of Motunui is the headstrong daughter of Village Chief Tui (John Tui) who always warns her against venturing beyond the reef due to his bad experience of losing a loved one to the waves. However, when the island is ravaged by an unknown disease claiming its flora and fauna, Gramma Tala (Rena Owen) reveals to her granddaughter how she has been chosen by the ocean to restore the heart of Te Fiti, the island mother goddess who chose to disappear and forsake her people when that very same heart was stolen by Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a shapeshifting demigod who has gone on exile somewhere to save face. Left without a choice, Moana embraces her people’s long-forgotten history as wayfinders to find Maui to accompany her in restoring the heart that she believes will save her people from the looming famine and natural disasters which they believe to be demigod's fault.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (GMG Productions)

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Charlie Bucket’s (Cohen Toukalty) greatest dream is to meet Willy Wonka (Michael Dalke) in person and be a chocolatier himself. This is the reason why he gets really excited when his idol comes up with a contest. Whoever gets one of the five golden tickets he has hidden in his chocolates will get the chance to visit his factory. Russian spoiled brat Veruca Salt (Allison Gann), Bavarian glutton Augustus Gloop (Sam Nackman), Beverly Hills celebrity Violet Beauregarde (Giselle Amarisa Watts), and screen-addicted teenager Mike Teavee (DJ Plunkett) score the first four. A stroke of luck and short of a miracle gives Charlie the final ticket, and he is accompanied by his grandpa Joe (Michael Biren) to the factory. There they witness not just how chocolates and candies are produced, but also the wonderful world of Willy Wonka’s outrageous imagination. There, Charlie discovers what he really wants to be and is given the opportunity to achieve his wildest dreams.

Yemaya (9 Works Theatrical)

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Jesus (Tommy Alejandrino) lives in a small town by the beach with his elderly parents. He spends most of his time playing dominoes with coconut vendor Tico (Herbie Go) as well as accompanying his uncle Jelin (Anthony Falcon) to town where he gets an impromptu initiation about the differences of life between his small town and the big city. There he meets grocery store owner Lila (Sheenly Gener) who reluctantly takes her in as he promises to buy her store one day. He also meets barrio lass Maya (Sheena Belarmino) who claims the sea deity Yemaya (Wenah Nagales) to be her mother but is really a human smuggler, helping people from their town reach America by boat for a certain fee. Disillusioned by his life on the island, Jesus, whom Lila now calls Mulo, tries to convince Maya to take him to America with her on her next boat trip, believing his future awaits him there.

Supergirl

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Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) spends the days leading to her 23rd birthday on an intergalactic pub crawl, seeking planets orbiting a red sun to nullify her powers and make her ordinary so that the liquor would have the desired inebriating effect. Her cousin, Superman (David Corenswet), never fails to initiate contact just to check in on her but she brushes him off most of the time. She meets orphan Ruthye Marye Knoll (Eve Ridley) at some random intergalactic bar. The girl seeks revenge for the murder of her family by the Brigand leader Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Their goals begin to align when Kara’s dog Krypto is shot by Krem with a poisoned arrow. They travel the galaxy to find him, meeting more colorful personalities along the way which include Lobo (Jason Momoa), a bounty hunter who is also after Krem of the Yellow Hills for the reward.

Leviticus

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Teenager Naim (Joe Bird) and his mom Arlene (Mia Wasikowska) move to a small town after the death of his father. The center of their life in the new community is that of a religious cult cum support group. There he meets fellow teenager and classmate Ryan (Stacy Clausen), with whom he makes out as they explore an abandoned mill one boring afternoon. When Naim sees Ryan kissing the pastor’s son Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt), he goes straight to his dad and tells on them, leading to a religious gay conversion therapy ritual with a “deliverance healer”. What starts off as a stupid game for the two boys immediately becomes a nightmare when both Ryan and Hunter vomit and convulse. Life is no longer the same after that as they are haunted by a doppelganger, in the form of the person they hold dear to their heart, trying to kill them. It doesn’t take long before Arlene takes her own son to the “deliverance healer” to cure him of his homosexuality.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set B - Kapit Tuko

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HARAM - Cris (Jude Hidumdum) has been going steady with his partner Jan (Rey Correjado) for quite some time now but he can’t admit to him that he is muslim, considering how the latter is still traumatized by the death of his older brother at Mamasapano. Ommi (Joann Yap Co) drives her son Caim (Eshei Mesina) out of Iraq hoping for a safe passage to Lebanon where he could live a relatively safer life as a homosexual. Thania (Phil Noble) puts on a strong face, operating his parlor in Marawi where he has been repetitively harassed by the overtly religious to pack up or face violence.

My interest quickly waned when I found out that religion was going to be the topic of HARAM. Watching the three vignettes has been an emotional rollercoaster, though. Such stories definitely have to be told, no matter how uncomfortable it makes one feel. Because, seriously, there are still places on this planet where you can be persecuted for your sexual orientation. But then again, organized religion has always been about control and a minority that you can collectively hate and oppress. My only disappointment was the expectation that the three storylines would converge, but then again maybe that is too much to ask for in a one-act play.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set A - Tengang Kawali

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PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 - Three “technical support representatives” prepare a cyber attack in their cramped office. Jae (Nicole Manlulu) is in her final days, tendering her resignation after securing a tourist visa for her and her family. Nix (Earvin Estioco) is mostly functional, even though yet to fully recover from a nervous breakdown. Gado (Miguel Delos Santos) is still his usual jokey-jokey persona. Their supervisor Bert (Noel Rayos) walks in and introduces the company owner’s son Andre (Gio Gahol) who will be taking over the operations. High profile client Mr. Garcia (Gie Onida) follows later on, eager to witness their operation.

PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 tries to be funny but neither delivery nor punchline lands. It starts to make sense after you realize that it is a narrative about scam call centers and troll farms. Surely, not a laughing matter. It is educational, though, supposing the material is grounded on research and insider interviews. I didn’t like how it tried to humanize the agents who carry out the operations. Such people should be in jail. Even so, the play gives you a good overview on how such scam centers operate as well as their links to high profile politicians and businessmen to whom such morally bankrupt practice comes as naturally as having breakfast or taking a dump.

Toy Story 5

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Cowgirl rag doll Jessie (Joan Cusack) is now in charge of all the toys in the household of Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), the little girl to which they all belong and who finds it hard to make friends. When her parents give her a frog-designed tablet named Lilypad (Greta Lee), her toys are faced with the realization that the age of playtime is over now that screens have become children’s primary plaything. Distressed, Jessie asks help from Woody (Tom Hanks) who now spends most of his time outdoors rescuing abandoned toys. As Jessie gets lost and is returned to her original owner’s address, Woody and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) go on a rescue mission to bring her back to Bonnie. But does Bonnie even want her back now that her eyes are constantly glued to Lilypad’s screen? And so begins an existential crisis for toys finding themselves living in the smartphone era.

Disclosure Day

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Cybersecurity analyst turned whistleblower Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor) is on the run. In his backpack are thumb drives that contain multiple footage of extraterrestrials on Earth that the company he used to belong to has kept secret for decades. Another rogue co-worker, Hugo Wakefield (Colam Domingo), is instructing him where to go and what to do, sending his men to rescue him every time he gets caught. Wardex has been reverse engineering alien technology and its leader Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth) is against full disclosure, having the same belief as Daniel’s girlfriend, ex-novitiate Jane Blankenship (Eve Hewson), that the truth will be detrimental to the human race. Somewhere in Missouri, weather girl Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) is visited by a cardinal bird during breakfast, after which she spontaneously speaks in Russian, Korean, and in an unrecognized language full of clicks, much to the shock of her musician boyfriend Jackson (Wyatt Russell).

Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 4 (PETA)

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Dedicated thespian Eugene Domingo (Eugene Domingo) invites her dear industry friends to a dinner meeting at her house, where she will propose a modernized restaging of Aurelio Tolentino’s Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas. Among the invitees are: producer Melvin Lee (Melvin Lee); director Marlon Rivera (Marlon Rivera); Palanca hall of fame playwright Joshua Lim So (Joshua Lim So); fellow unapologetic actors Andoy Ranay (Andoy Ranay), JC Santos (JC Santos), Stella Cañete-Mendoza (Stella Cañete-Mendoza), and Meann Espinosa (Meann Espinosa). Eugene aims to play the lead role and she has a plethora of visions to execute, most of them going against Melvin’s budget, Joshua’s script, and Marlon’s creative direction. To make matters more complicated, she has adopted a group of street urchins called the “Ugenggengs” whom she plans to rehabilitate through the power of theater. One of her demands is to stage the play on a Philippine navy ship at the West Philippine Sea, as a sign of protest.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set D - Pusong Mamon

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BUHAGHAG - Phoebe’s (Krystle Valentino) life is in disarray, which also manifests via her hairstyle. Now shaggy and unkempt, her hair has also transformed to represent the voices inside her head, led by their gang leader she christens as Lala (Adrienne Vergara). Lala becomes a fixture in Phoebe’s day-to-day life and even suggests some radical changes and methods, which Phoebe tries hard not to succumb to. As she is constantly stressed out by the perpetual barrage of things to do at work, she also can’t find the time to organize her house. As she drowns in anxiety, Phoebe has to make a choice, once and for all.

There is always a weird entry every year. I believe BUHAGHAG is shaping up to be THAT entry this year. It is strange and you really don’t know what you are watching at first, but the general theme uniting all three plays in this set does give you a hint. Mental Health. Using that as an anchor, my interpretation is that the giant humanoid hairballs represent the stress and pent-up emotions that Phoebe has “collected” through years of neglect. Again, the visual is kind of weird but creative. Best Costume, I’d give them that. Moral lesson: taking care of your mental health is not optional; it requires constant care. Luckily, this play ends on a good note.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set C - Balat Kalabaw

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ELEHIYA - The Narrator (Yan Yuzon) introduces a play about what it means to be a Filipino male. He introduces two fathers and two sons, both with recurring issues affecting their relationship. Ed (John Sanchez) is raised by his father, security guard Mang Gardo (Dennis Marasigan), to base his masculinity on force, giving him some serious childhood trauma concerning violence. Gardo’s boss, Nick (Carlos Siguion-Reyna) finds it hard to relate to his son Kulas (Rafa Siguion-Reyna), the latter thinking that their relationship as father and son will always be damaged because his mother died giving birth to him and believing his dad still blames him for it.

Whether ELEHIYA is autobiographical or not, it just feels so personal, to the point that I felt as though I were intruding in somebody else’s daddy issues. Daddy Issues. Toxic Masculinity. Those could’ve been appropriate titles but I love how they settled for Elegy. After all, we live in an ever changing world that now frowns upon beliefs and practices that were once universally embraced. I also love the closing remarks where the narrator suggests that whoever has daddy issues should just watch this play together with their dad, and that understanding and recognition would come automatically afterward, perhaps better accompanied by a few bottles of beer. Overall, a poignant tribute and a beautiful ode to failed father-and-son relationships.

Man of La Mancha (Repertory Philippines)

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Miguel de Cervantes (Nonie Buencamino) is detained at a deportation facility along with his trusted assistant Sancho Panza (Marvin Ong). Tugging a huge suitcase with them, they can’t help but be noticed and picked on by the other detainees. Before their luggage is ransacked and his manuscript destroyed, he pleads to tell the story through a makeshift play with everyone there as his co-actors. The fellow detainee they call the Governor (Tarek El Tayech) agrees, and so begins the story of Alonso Quijano who believes himself to be the frustrated knight Don Quixote de la Mancha, played by de Cervantes himself. He arrives at an inn believing it to be a castle. The owner rides along noticing his cognitive impairment. There he meets the town whore Aldonza (Katrine Sunga) whom he christens as Dulcinea and treats as if she were a high born noble lady. As the play unfolds, they dread the prospect of another detainee being condemned by the inquisition.

Obsession

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Music store employee Baron "Bear" Bailey (Michael Johnston) has always had feelings for co-worker Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette), but he doesn’t have the guts to admit it. While their friend Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) wants to be supportive, he believes that such an admission might affect their friendship and result in awkwardness among their group. Their other co-worker Sarah Harper (Megan Lawless) has the same dilemma because she has feelings for Bear but is not sure how to handle it. Looking for a necklace he can give to Nikki at a crystal shop, Bear finds a shelf of One Wish Willows, which is advertised as an effective wish fulfillment charm. Just say your wish, snap the willow, and voila! As Bear screws up his one chance with Nikki when he takes her home one night, the One Wish Willow is his last resort, wishing for the best but not convinced that it’ll work.

Scary Movie

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Cindy Campbell (Anna Faris) now lives as a recluse in her heavily fortified home as protection from Ghostface but her daughters will become the reason for her to come out of retirement. Tuesday Campbell (Savannah Lee Nassif) is stabbed and hospitalized, causing her prescription drug addicted sister Sara (Olivia Rose Keegan) to seek out their estranged mother for help. Sara’s sus boyfriend Jack (Cameron Scott Roberts) also suggests they find Doofy Gilmore (Dave Sheridan) because he might know how to deal with the killer. Ghostface’s return to town brings the original gang back together at Brenda Meek’s (Regina Hall) house, along with reformed homosexual Ray (Shawn Wayans) and forever high Shorty (Marlon Wayans), as their children try to hatch a plan to get rid of Ghostface for good. What they don’t know is that the killer is actually one of them. Will they figure out who before it is too late?

Backrooms

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Failed architect Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is forced to operate a furniture shop to make ends meet. He blames his wife for their dire financial situation, citing her midlife law school decision for their money woes and their reluctance to have a baby. All of this, he channels through role playing every time he visits his shrink for therapy. Psychologist Dr. Mary Kline (Renate Reinsve) has ghosts of her own, what with an agoraphobic mother who ended up in a mental institution when she was still a kid. Her profession is her way of processing her own grief and trauma while helping her patients deal with their own. When Clark finds a strange portal to a series of backrooms at the basement of his store, he recruits his employee Kat (Lukita Maxwell) and her boyfriend Bobby (Finn Bennett) to go back and investigate with him, but things do not go according to plan…

Masters of the Universe

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When disfigured warlock Skeletor (Jared Leto) attacks Eternia, its king Randor (James Purefoy) and queen Marlena (Charlotte Riley) are taken hostage, but their young son is ushered into a portal by the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) guardian of Castle Grayskull. 15 years later, Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) is a disgruntled employee who is obsessed with finding the Sword of Power he lost when he crashed on Earth. While he is good at his job, the threat of being fired looms as HR takes wind of his strange sword fetish. An anonymous tip leads him to his sword at a toy store. He gets hold of it and is arrested for theft but is ambushed by an alien creature along the way. He is saved by his childhood friend Teela (Camila Mendes), who takes him back to Eternia on her ship, but they arrive in a home that he no longer recognizes to meet the remaining underground resistance that will fight the enemy.

Master Class (Philippine Opera Company)

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Maria Callas (Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo) just cannot leave the limelight despite losing her voice and “retiring” for various reasons. She decides to go backstage and serve as a mentor for aspiring singers, guiding them not just in terms of vocal coaching, but also warning them about the cutthroat industry that they are planning to join. Her first student, Sophie de Palma (Alexandra Bernas), she critiques for not having a “look” which she believes to be important. The next one, Sharon Graham (Angeli Benipayo), enters in a long gown but walks away and disappears after some heavy criticism from La Divina. The last student, tenor Anthony Candolino (Arman Ferrer) manages to impress his mentor by standing his ground and having her listen to him. Coming back for a second try, Sharon finally gets to sing, but unleashes a harsh tirade on Maria when her feedback goes below the belt. Left alone with pianist Manny (Louie Angelo Oca), she reflects and reminisces about her career.

Jesus Christ Superstar (GMG Productions)

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Judas Escariot (Javon King) warns Jesus Christ (Luke Street) about the potential dangers of his newfound cult following as well as his current messianic branding as the Son of God. Judas is also insecure of Mary Magdalene (Gab Pangilinan) and what appears to be her growing role and closeness to Jesus, far eclipsing his. True enough, the Jewish high priests begin to take notice. Annas (Kodiak Thompson) and Caiaphas (Grant Hodges) worry about the backlash Jesus’ growing popularity might cause, including a possible crackdown from the Romans should his following grow even larger and out of control. They offer Judas a sizable amount to betray Jesus. All he has to do is lead the Roman guards to him and plant a kiss on his cheek as a signal that he is the man they are looking for. As Jesus prays at the garden of Gethsemane, he asks God the Father whether his death will be worth the sacrifice.

Mortal Kombat II

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Two decades ago, Outworld emperor Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) annexed Edenia by killing its king and taking his daughter as his own hostage princess. Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) grows up spiteful of his adoptive father but obedient, trained in the art of combat by her bodyguard Jade (Tati Gabrielle) who is ever loyal to her emperor. Meanwhile, Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) continues his search for a fifth fighter as Mortal Kombat looms near. In addition to Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), and Cole Young (Lewis Tan), they recruit has-been actor and martial artist Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) who reluctantly agrees to what he considers to be a suicide mission. As battles are fought and fighters meet death, some old rivals and friends resurface, making the process even more complicated for Earthworld’s chosen heroes. Will they prevail or will Shao Kahn add yet another realm to his collection?

The Devil Wears Prada 2

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20 years after her short stint at Runway, Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is now a successful journalist who gets fired along with her entire team just as she is receiving an industry award. Her rousing speech coincides with an article debacle at Runway, with the CEO of the parent company blaming Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) for the mishap. Andy is hired on the spot to be the new Features head to clean up her ex-ex-boss’ mess. While Nigel (Stanley Tucci) is welcoming, Miranda remains cold and aloof, which takes Andy two decades back to square one in a constant attempt to win her approval. Along the way they run into Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) who is now a senior executive at Dior which means she has power over them through the ads that her company runs on their magazine pages. Toss in a couple of management and ownership changes and it’s like Andy never really left. Will she stay for good this time around?

The Rocky Horror Show (Broadway)

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Newly engaged couple Brad (Andrew Durand) and Janet (Stephanie Hsu) go on a road trip to celebrate their most recent milestone in life but their car gets them stranded in the middle of nowhere. They see a castle not so far away and decide to go there to ask for help. They are welcomed by a weird butler named Riff Raff (Amber Gray) who introduces them to the other househelp Magenta (Juliette Lewis) and Columbia (Michaela Jae Rodriguez). It doesn’t take long for them to get spooked out by the ambiance of the place, but there probably isn’t anything more unsettling than meeting the master of the house himself. Dressed in a tight corset and, later on, a nurse’s uniform, Frank-N-Furter (Luke Evans) welcomes his guests and eventually introduces them to Rocky (Boy Radio), a sort of Frankenstein-ish muscle man he has created in his laboratory down there in the basement.

Chess (Broadway)

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Serving as the narrator, the Arbiter (Bryce Pinkham) reflects on the role of Chess as a game and as a tool of diplomacy. Amidst the Cuban missile crisis, the United States and the Soviet Union are on the brink of war, but most of the battles are fought via other channels through showcases of soft power. One such event is a chess tournament in Merano, Italy, where arrogant American champion Freddie Trumper (Aaron Tveit) is to face Russian contender Anatoly Sergievsky (Nicholas Christopher) who must confront the threat of a possible state-sponsored disappearance should he lose the match. Freddie’s romantic partner and coach Florence Vassy (Lea Michele), a refugee from Hungary, is tired of her boyfriend’s bipolar tirades and ends up in a romantic fling with Anatoly. More problems arise when Anatoly’s estranged Russian wife Svetlana (Hannah Cruz) is sent by their government to coerce Anatloy to go back home via emotional blackmail.

Fallen Angels (Broadway)

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Julie Sterroll (Kelli O’Hara) and Jane Banbury (Rose Byrne) have been friends since they were single ladies. Nowadays they are both married and playing the role of the bored housewife. Julie’s husband Fred (Aasif Mandvi) is always taking care of business or playing golf with Jane’s husband Willy (Christopher Fitzgerald). Suffice it to say that the honeymoon phase of their marriage is now but a distant memory, which is why it doesn’t require much to excite the two women lately. Perhaps this is the reason why the prospect of a French debonair, with whom they’ve both had an affair that one summer in Italy, coming over for a visit turns them into shrieking high school girls. Anxious, both indulge in wine kept in abundant supply by the Sterroll’s all-around housemaid Saunders (Tracee Chimo), a woman of many talents and too many opinions. By the time Maurice Duclos (Mark Consuelos) arrives, both women are already wasted. What shenanigans will they all get themselves into this time around?

Drunk Shakespeare (Broadway)

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The concept of Drunk Shakespeare is simple: You have five professional actors in the group and one of them is required to take shots of liquor, in this case whiskey, before performing one of Shakespeare’s plays. For this particular season, Romeo and Juliet is the chosen material. Gracie Lee Brown was the designated actor to get drunk and she played a variety of roles, but mostly, Juliet’s nurse. Romeo was portrayed by Ryan Farnsworth while Sarah Ann Leahy played Juliet. Another two actors join them, one given the role of Mercutio and the priest while the other serves as the narrator and sort of the audience’s surrogate within the play. Two royal seats are auctioned before the play begins and the two members of the audience who sit there can dictate quick changes within the play. They can also decide whether the designated drunk actor needs more shots. For this particular production, I believe Gracie ended up with six or seven shots all in all.

Dog Day Afternoon (Broadway)

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Sonny Amato (Jon Bernthal) and Sal DeSilva (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) decide to rob a bank with another companion who chickens out when shots are fired. They haven’t planned this well, and it shows. Bank tellers Lorna (Wilemina Olivia-Garcia), Alison (Andrea Syglowski), Guadalupe (Paola Lázaro), and Roxxanna (Elizabeth Canavan) are traumatized at first but learn to co-exist with their captors in the small space they momentarily have to share, perhaps even developing Stockholm Syndrome in the long run. Head teller Colleen (Jessica Hecht), in particular, is quite headstrong and goes toe to toe with the bank robbers, ever protective of her girls. Detective Fucco (John Ortiz) is eventually brought in to negotiate, but his lack of progress prompts FBI agent Sheldon (Spencer Garrett) to step in and use Sonny’s boyfriend Leon (Esteban Andres Cruz) as bait. After an entire afternoon of negotiations, who will come out on top? Will Sonny and Sal get out of that bank alive?

Just in Time (Broadway)

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Walden Robert Cassotto opts for the stage name Bobby Darin (Jeremy Jordan) to up his chances of becoming a breakout star, but stardom has been quite elusive. He settles for composing songs and one of his first clients is 50’s songstress Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, more popularly known as Connie Francis (Isa Briones). The two soon start dating and end up in a relationship but marriage plans are foiled by her father, who does not approve of Bobby. Bobby finally scores a hit with Splish Splash, but dreams of more artistic control and success outside jingles and novelty songs. He gets his wish when he finally scores some legit hits with Dream Lover and Mack the Knife. And then he meets actress Sandra Dee (Carrie St. Louis) who becomes the wife he eventually divorces. Bobby fades into obscurity but manages to get back into the limelight, his comeback cut short by his longtime heart ailment.