Movies bring out the whole idea of entertainment – a blend of visuals, storytelling,music and sound. Various movies can set different moods. If you need some motivation, watch inspirational films; but if you feel blue, look for comedies. I personally watch movies to help me think and to learn new things. For me, watching movies is a good way to grow as a person.
Nevertheless, I enjoy watching independent films more than mainstream movies. I have been attending different film festivals for the past couple of years: Cinemalaya, Cinema One Originals and QCinema Film Festival, all of which are my favorites. However, they usualy showcase more than 10 films during the event, so I don’t get to watch them all. I hate the feeling of missing a very good movie.
Fortunately, there are alternative movie theaters in Manila that we can visit if we wish to watch the best indie movies of the past years.
Cinema ’76 is a micro-cinema with a maximum seating capacity of 60 people. It is owned and operated by the Cinema ’76 Film Society, which is dedicated to screening the latest Filipino independent films, as well as non-mainstream English and foreign-language films, to a more discriminating audience.
It is located at 160 Luna Mencias Street, Brgy. Addition Hills, San Juan City. They are open Monday to Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. For more information, call (02) 398-1939.
Cinematheque Center Manila is a 101-seater theatre, which only shows award-winning films of an experimental nature and a historical importance. It is not only a movie house; it is also a museum called the Museo ng Pelikulang Pilipino, which houses film equipment, posters and iconic artifacts of the local silver screen.
Moreover, it features giant statues of the Philippines’ finest film directors namely: Lino Brocka, Manuel Conde, Lamberto Avellana, and Ishmael Bernal. It is located at 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila, the former location of Instituto Cervantes de Manila. For more information, call 256-9948.
UP Cine Adarna is a spacious 800-seat university cinema that screens quality films free from censorship and programmed for purposes of varied studies and broadened appreciation of cinematic arts. It is a veritable art cinema unique to the country showing different film titles everyday.
The theater is also a regular venue for various international film programs designed by different embassies and other cultural institutions. It is located inside the University of the Philippines, at 2/F Cine Adarna bldg. Magsaysay and Osmena Ave.,UP Diliman, Quezon City. For more information: 0917-5533210 (Icho) upfi_workshops@yahoo.com.ph / 02-9262722
There are so many reasons why we watch movies. We want to escape and be entertained; we want to learn and challenge our perceptions; we want to feel and challenge our ethics and morals. Movies are what lead us into a fantasy world where possibilities are endless.
