Tiktik (Movie Review)

I have to admit Tiktik: the Aswang Chronicles exceeded my expectations. The film was very satisfactory. I'd read good reviews in the past week, and I couldn't wait to experience the film myself. We watched the last full show last Friday because we were late for the 7:15 screening. We wanted to watch the film whole, so we waited until 9:30 p.m. Anyway, I'm blabbering again. Here are my humble observations of the film.

I was intrigued because it was all studio shots and CG effects. Almost all the aswang films I saw utilized setting and prosthetic makeup as major factors of that horror feel. I practically grew up with the Shake, Rattle, and Roll films, and those were like the staple elements. This one with Tiktik was a totally new aswang film (heck, Pinoy film) experience. The movie was also more than just CG effects.

It's cool how they incorporated subtle bits of humor to the story. I mean, it was a scare, yes. I had a few shouts myself. But I was not terrified. Not so much as with the other (more hardcore) aswang films. A big factor for this, I observed, was the acting. All throughout the film, the characters never really showed pure terror, given that they were surrounded (and would most probably be feasted on) by a clan of aswang. Yes, they showed fear, but there were more bravado and determination to live. Dingdong Dantes, Joey Marquez, and Janice de Belen  did a good job in portraying their characters. But the great actors really were the aswang. They were like freaking contortionists! Their movement was like dancing--eerie and seductive at the same time. It's like something I mostly see in theaters and modern dances. Okay . . . I got carried away. Forgive me.

The other production element that really got me was the scoring/sound effects. It complemented the visuals perfectly. I can still hear that haunting "Tik . . . tik . . . tik . . ." It seriously gave me the shivers. What's even greater? Wolfgang is included in the film's movie soundtrack. That chasing scene where Dingdong Dantes and Ramon Bautista were in the truck escaping the angry aswang family? I loved it mainly because of Wolfgang's Halik Ni Hudas in the background. (Oh, I failed to mention that it's my favorite Wolfgang song.) Here's their music video made especially for the film. You can vote for it on Myx. :)

As I mentioned earlier, I was very satisfied with Tiktik. I would have watched it again this week, but I already spent my salary on online shopping (damned impulsive self). Anyway, I just noticed some inconsistencies with the amount of blood on Dingdong's sando. I believe you would notice it too if you're particular with scene consistency. Oh, and in the last scene where Roi Vinzon turned into his ultimate aswang form? It kind of looked like Ryuk of Death Note--with the overall form and the wings. But Roi Vinzon had the face of a bird, so there was a clear distinction. One more thing, there was a lot of covert advertising going on in the film. Hahaha! Other than that, it was great. I am no film critic, but if I were to rate it, it would be a 9 out of 10. It was a truly enjoyable experience. Go catch it in the cinemas now! (If you still haven't seen it.) Let's support Pinoy creativity. :)

Tiktik: the Aswang Chronicles photos were taken from Google Images.
Tiktik: the Aswang Chronicles videos were taken from Youtube.

My Moshpit Baptism

The experience I had last Friday was legendary. (I'm sorry, Barney. I can't afford to use your joke this time.) It's no joke because it really was legendary--at least for me. Wow. A rockfest. Never, in a million years, will my mama imagine herself in one. My brother might, but he's too lazy to even join the fun in the mosh pit. My sister--well, let's just say she's too innocent for this shit. But she would go. If I dragged her into it. The amazing thing is I was in a great one that night--my first concert ever. That one with Ciudad and Ang Bandang Shirley at UP Diliman was too small so it doesn't count. Haha. It was unbelievable. My concert companion, Penny, got us free PRESS/SPONSOR tickets from her officemate at the last minute! It sure as hell is better than my VIP and Penny's General Admission.

We were right there. In front of the stage. In a crowd I later realized was a mosh pit. I was in a mosh pit! The fact that I'm at least one and a half feet shorter than the people around me didn't matter. I craned my neck all night just to see the faces I only see in music videos, listen to the voices I only hear in my playlists. Constant neck craning and head banging left my neck in a most miserable condition. But it doesn't matter. I felt pure liberation. 

It was surreal that I was there, singing along with my rock heroes while they set the stage on fire. And instead of pissing me off, the nuisances around me only drove me to the brink of insanity. Assholes were pushing me--at my both sides and at my back. Some jerk was constantly pulling my hair, and some bitches kept hitting my shoulders and my head. I did not mind them. The collective sweat, the heat, even the smell only made the experience more tangible, real. But at that moment, it was just me, the music, the night, and the utter bliss in seeing my heroes perform live. 

I read somewhere that the ultimate support you can give to the bands you love is to go and watch their live performances. I'm sorry if I can't give proper credit to who said those words. I forgot where I read them, and I'm too lazy to make a Google search. Sue me. Anyway, the only way I can do that is when they come here. Actually, one of the reasons why I wanted to work in Manila is because of those freakin' rockstars. So that I can see them perform live all the time. But I gave up on the idea. I mean, Cebu is already a lot of work for me. I might turn into fish feed if I started working and living in the metro. Hay. C'est la vie. 

So, anyway, it was one of my wildest nights. I wasn't drunk, by the way. Me and Penny couldn't afford to be drunk. There were just the two of us, no male company. If we were kung fu experts, then being a woman is not a problem at all. Unfortunately, we're not. We need caution with every person we bumped into. We left the concert grounds at around one in the morning. It seemed that most of the men who populated the concert were not acquainted with the concept of chivalry (I was not surprised). So we had to wait for another hour before finally pushing our way into an available (thankfully!) bus. The funny thing is Penny still had to work on Saturday at 8:30 a.m., and we got home at around 2:30 a.m.--still plenty of time for sleep if you ask me. When my insomnia strikes, I mostly manage to force myself into two hours of fitful sleep. 

When I woke up the next morning, I was greeted by a fever and a sore throat. I'm still suffering from them now and a few other body discomforts, but I think I'll manage. You see, independence has its perks and consequences. You can absolutely go crazy at concerts without the restrictions you hate so much. But you get sick, and you'd wish you never left home. Me? My situation's perks outweigh the bad vibes. So it's all cool. I feel sad and alone all the time. But I never regret choosing independence. I never regret being free.