Highlights of Ploning the Movie

If you ask me what was the highlights of Ploning the Movie were, I will say these:

• Juday’s amazing acting. Here, she was absolutely fluid, absolutely seamless. This is her transition from the old Mara Clara and Wowie de Guzman-era persona to the amazing woman that she is. I was entranced, amazed, floored, riveted to her allure, her subtle allure and beauty that unfolded in her fluid movements, in the generosity that her character displayed, in this regal bearing that made you feel that whom Juday was playing there was analogous to her real-life character.
• The cinematography was just divine. Made possible by the same company who were part of Crying Ladies and Santa Santita, I need not wonder anymore. I have yet to watch Crying Ladies, but Santa Santita surely was phenomenal for me. But more phenomenal than Santa Santita was Ploning, in my personal opinion.
• The acting of Cedric Amit, the boy who plays Digo, Ploning(Juday)’s adorable foster son. I may not like normal-weight kids that much, but Digo was just a darling!
• Ms. Gina Pareño still manages to get you to grab the edge of your armrest. She is still ever so riveting, with a screen performance that is unparalleled.
• The beauty of Cuyo is just... It makes you realize there arel patches of paradise in the Philippines, indeed.
• Meryll Soriano was superb as the simpleton Alma.
• Mylene Dizon’s role as a jaded city girl on her journey to reformation was pulled off with such excellence that I actually hated her for... Er, five seconds. Then as she started showing her inner need of being accepted, and as she grew into a real relationship with Ploning, I started... Liking her. For a viewer to be moved to feel real emotions about a movie character, you’d know the actress is GOOD!
• Tessie Tomas is lovely as the old Celeste: light-hearted, engaging, retaining the younger Celeste’s flirtatiousness and feistiness, yet her character is underscored with the gentleness that comes from being tempered with time.
• Eugene Domingo and Ces Quesada also gave wonderful performances, excellent actresses as they are.
• Ketchup Eusebio is endearingly irritating.
• Amazing talent discoveries!
• Boodge Fernandez as Muo Sei was the most remarkable breakout star in the bunch (and I’m not talking about the washboard abs, okay?!). He had this ironic quirkiness and adorability at the same time. To me, he was like Forrest Gump with a mild Colin Farrell undertone.
• Ogoy Agustin, who plays Veling (Digo’s brother), gave an intense performance worthy of an acting award. Seriously. I actually wondered if he had a theater background!
• Tony Mabesa gave a moving performance. And his scene is the biggest reason I deem that Ploning the movie was AMAZING.

I pray you would understand the significance of that scene. I believe that if you would truly understand that scene, all my gushing about the movie would be so worth it.

***

Indeed, throughout the movie, there is only one word I could use to describe my state of mind and heart:

Amazed.

I am amazed still.