“The Healing” (2012) – Philippine Horror

Whooo-hoo!! Finally an afternoon off, and time for a way overdue Review. This time it’s off to the Philippines for a look at the 2012 Star Cinema release by director Chito S. Roño, “The Healing”. I’ve had this one lurking around in my “to watch” pile for a year or so… but for one reason or another, it just never seemed to make its way into the ol’ DVD player. Well… that was awfully lazy of me, but thankfully I’ve remedied that lil’ oversight. 😉

The synopsis goes like this : “Seth witnesses a miracle when her paralyzed father is healed by Manang Elsa, a rural faith healer in the Provinces. Her neighbors, many of whom suffer from various maladies, plead with her to bring them to Elsa for the same treatment that cured her father. Jed, Seth’s perturbed son, asks his mother for help for his half-sister Cookie, her ex-husband’s daughter from his new marriage, and desperately pleads to join them as well. Reluctantly, Seth agrees, and all goes well at first, but soon after strange things begin to happen… leading to horror and death for all those involved. Feeling ultimately responsible for it all, Seth desperately seeks a way to end the curse before more tragedy can occur. But will she act quickly enough to stop the curse before it claims yet another life?”

Hmmm?? From the Trailer, this one looked to be a fusion of Catholic Faith Healing traditions with local Philippine witchcraft and ghost folklore. Don’t know exactly why I’ve waited so long to give it a watch, as it seems right up a certain crazy Catgirl’s alley. But hey… I’ve fixed that now, so if you wonder if it might also be a movie you need to hunt down, let’s get right to it and find out if it’s worth a look-see for any of you Gentle Visitors. 🙂

“Pagpag: Siyam Na Buhay” (2013) – Philippine Ghost/Horror

Now that we’re home again, it’s time for a quick swing through the sunny Philippines for a look at 2013’s ghost story “Pagpag: Siyam na Buhay”. Pagpag? Now that’s a funny sounding Tagalog word… Helpful Wikipedia tells me that it refers to a local Philippine folklore practice that one should never go home directly after visiting a wake since it risks bringing evil spirits to one’s home. One should first shake off whatever curse there may be to avoid being followed by the soul of the dead. Seems I’ve heard of similar superstitions and notions from right here in the good ol’ US of A. However… as one might expect, this wee Catgirl’s always ready for some creepy ghost story goodness, so was there any chance I’d miss this one? 😉

The quick synopsis goes as follows: “A spirit of a recent dead man hunts down nine persons and tries to kill them after the victims ignored local superstitions during his wake, one of them being that no one should go home directly after visiting a wake so that the spirit of the dead will not follow. This disrespect leads to a haunting terror and death for those who transgress against the old ways.”

Yep. Ghostly curses and vengeance from beyond the grave. Neko is soooo there. So what the heck are we waiting for o’ Gentle Visitors? By all means, “Read On” for all the details! 🙂

“Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles” (2012) – Philippine Horror/ Action

Woo-Hoo!! Yours truly has finally scored herself another of those elusive films I’ve been looking for, both high and low, for quite a while, the 2012 Philippine Aswang action/horror/comedy “Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles”. Yep… this one’s been a terribly hard one to pounce on, but at last it’s mine! Which means, of course, Gentle Visitors, I’m gonna be able to tell you all about it in a suitably “nekolishous” review just in case you’ve been aching to see it too. 🙂

Our synopsis goes like this: “With dark shades on and a burning cigarette between his lips, Makoy will do whatever it takes to win back his girlfriend Sonia’s, who’s pregnant with their child. He makes the trip to remote Pulupandan, her hometown, and is quickly rebuffed by Sonia’s mother. Tired of his laziness, and devil-may-care attitude, Sonia refuses to see him as well. But Makoy has never been one to give up. With the help of Sonia’s father and his ever-dependable helper Bart, Makoy stays in town to surprise Sonia on her birthday. But alas, Makoy gets into trouble with a group of townsfolk who transform into tiktik—horrific, man-eating creatures with a taste for fetuses that are still in the womb! They are angry, and they are hungry for revenge. Will their thirst for blood and retribution be quenched? Will Makoy finally get his act together, protect Sonia and their baby, and once and for all prove himself worthy of their love? Who will win in the battle between men and monsters?”

Oooohh!! Oodles more cannibal aswang fun and games done in a style that looks super influenced by the CGI work in “300” or “Sin City”. Some action, some romance, and naturally this wee lady loves the Philippine aswang folklore on hand, even if all the movies I’ve watched all seem to have completely differing ideas on just what these critters are all about. From the Trailer, it looks like they’ve gone and done yet another version this time out, but boy does it look crazy and fun. I’m sooooo there!! Wanna know how it went? Then by now you know the drill… 😉

“Pridyider” (2012) – Philippine Haunted Refrigerator Horror

At last!!… some free time for another review… and just when your Favorite Catgirl thinks she’s seen about every wacky horror film to come her way out of Asia… something always comes along to prove me wrong. If you think that Indonesia’s haunted toilet epic “Toilet 105” was about the craziest ghost story ever… then you’ll absolutely love the latest Philippine ghost horror story to hit DVD, “Pridyider” with it’s… wait for it… honest-to-goodness haunted refrigerator… Oh yeah…. I kid you not… 😉

Our synopsis? Well that goes like this: “Several years ago, Tina (Andi Eigenmann) was sent away to the United States to live with her aunt because of a tragic and horrific incident involving her parents kept as an embarrassing family secret and never adequately explained to her. Grown up and in need of a fresh start to her life, she moves back to the Philippines and into their old home. Unfortunately for her, she’s not alone in the house. The kitchen is home to a demonically possessed, human-eating refrigerator. Tina must dig into her hidden past to discover the truth about what really happened to her parents, and to somehow find a way to defeat the infernal appliance before it is too late.”

A movie with an evil refrigerator with it’s own nutty “Cthulhu” style Hentai tentacle demon? Think this wee Catgirl could pass on this one? Are you thinking you just gotta see it too? Well then hunker on down and let your Favorite Movie Lovin’ Catgirl Princess tell you all about it. 🙂

“Amorosa: The Revenge” (2012) – Philippine Ghost/ Horror

Finally!! A day off all to myself and a chance for another waaaaay overdue Review here at the ol’ Litterbox.This time out, it’s the latest creepy Philippine ghost story to find its way across the big ol’ ocean direct to your Favorite Catgirl’s DVD player… “Amorosa: The Revenge”.

Our synopsis goes along these lines: “After suffering from a terrifying vehicular accident, Rosa, with her two sons Amiel and Rommel, transfers to the old Pension House owned by Rosa’s aunt. Rosa hopes that the new place will heal the rift that has existed between her and Rommel since the accident. As she seeks to move on from that tragedy, she finds herself being haunted by the vengeful and faceless ghost of a young girl brutally raped and killed in the Pension house years before. She discovers that the ghost targets those for death who victimize women in similar fashion and that Rommel himself might be implicated in a similar crime. When Rosa attempts to escape from the ghost and save her son from both the vengeance of the spirit as well as the police, she is forced to face the bitter truth that she has been secretly avoiding since the tragic accident.”

Yep. “Ghostly Vengeance From Beyond the Grave”… a little brotherly rivalry… maybe even some post-traumatic mental illness thrown in for good measure. Certainly sounds like this wee lady’s cup of tea, Hehehe!! Think it might be yours? Then naturally you’ll wanna “Read On” and find out if hunting down a copy for your very own might just be in your future….

“Guni-Guni” aka “Apprehension” (2012) – Philippine Ghost/ Horror

It’s back to some familiar ground this time out, Review wise, with a look at the latest Philippine horror film to make it’s way from sunny Manila to my chilly lil’ winter wonderland here in the US, Regal Entertainment’s “Guni-Guni”.

Our synopsis reads as follows: “Thirty years ago, an aborted fetus was buried beneath the garden of a boarding house in Cubao. It still lies there undiscovered beneath the ground, unknown to the tenants who live there. One of these tenants is Mylene who appears to be the perfect girl: nice, pretty and at the top of her Medical class. But nobody knows the dark secret of her past, not even the man who loves her most, Paolo. Paolo knows nothing of Mylene’s family, her long, lost twin sister or her estranged, nervous wreck of a mother. Nor has he seen the very long scar that runs across Mylene’s body, nor of how somehow incomplete she always feels. And he finds that the more he tries to win back her love, the more she retreats to her secret world that she lets nobody enter.

One day Mylene asked to perform an illegal abortion for a tempting price. She feels conflicted about doing what is right, but at the same time, is in dire need of money to pay her outstanding tuition fee at school. Her decision ultimately leads to a terrible outcome and awakens a spirit that has lain quiet for years in the boardinghouse grounds. Thereafter, she becomes tormented by nightmares of her dark twin, whose presence only grows stronger as the days pass and strange things start to happen to others in the house. One by one, the boarders begin to die of unexplainable causes. Then Joanna, Mylene’s best friend, a girl with a natural psychic gift, struggles to understand the growing danger that she senses and decides to get to the bottom of the mystery. But as it unravels, they soon find themselves confronted by an angry soul that seeks justice against all those who dwell there.”

Siamese twins? Ghosts? Hidden secret pasts? Yep. Sign this wee Catgirl up… I’m soooo there! Wanna know if it’s a trip you’ll wanna take as well? Then let’s all “Read On” and get all the juicy details, shall we?

“The Road” (2011) – Philippine Ghost/ Horror

(Sorry for the delay on this one, but my recent streak of busy personal stuff keeps intruding on my “me time” lately… d’ohh!!)

Time for the first of this month’s Ghostly Halloween Reviews…. and a look at Philippine director Yam Laranas’ 2011 horror goodie, “The Road”. I’ve seen his earlier horror story “Sigaw”…. remade here in the US as “The Echo” and found it an interesting and entertaining piece of Pinoy horror, so naturally when this one popped up on “DVD-R on Demand” over at Amazon a month or so back, there was no excuse not to grab a copy for my own self….

Our synopsis for it goes along these lines: “Three teenagers go missing in an abandoned road after a joyride gone wrong on a haunted road. Luis Medina is the police investigator assigned to the case. In the course of his investigation, Luis finds the remains of another victim on the same abandoned road from years earlier. The corpse is identified to be that of one of two sisters who both disappeared ten years before. Luis must dig deeper into the secrets and mysteries of the ghosts lingering in the dark of the desolate abandoned road in order for him to find the three missing teens. As the truth of the story behind the mystery unravels, Luis discovers a history of brutality and murders that will shake him to the core and reveal a past better left forgotten.”

Philippine horror can be a mixed bag…. some really good, some looking more like “made for TV movies”… will this turn out to be a winner? Guess we’ll all find out, ’cause this wee Catgirl’s ready to tell ya all about it! 😉

“Aswang” (2011) – Philippine Horror/ Romance

Well, well… looks like those naughty Philippine vampire critters, the Aswang, are at it again. Fresh from the sunny Philippines to your Favorite Catgirl’s mailbox comes the latest horror/ romance to jump on the “Twilight” bandwagon, the 2011 remake of 1992’s Pegue Gallaga film, ”Aswang”.

Our synopsis for this one is as follows: “Aswang” revolves around the legends of the abuwak race (Aswang). Throughout the generations their race has declined and the only way they can grow in numbers again is through the rare ability that only the soon-to-be “Queen of the abuwaks”, Hasmin (Lovi Poe) possesses. Abuwaks look human when they’re in their normal state, but they can fly, move underground, and they can even transform into raven type of bird. They are quick and strong, and they can attack and eat humans whether in complete darkness or broad daylight. Hasmin doesn’t like all of this, preferring to congregate with humans and even protecting them when her fellow creatures attack the village.

Meanwhile a hired killer named Daniel is forced by cruel circumstances from when he was very young into a life of violence that he has come to despise. Like Hasmin, he doesn’t really like killing the innocent, and this reluctance is what leads him to the abuwak lair, rumored to be somewhere in Pampanga. Along with two other killers, they travel to the village in pursuit of the two remaining members of a lawyer’s family that they massacred in Quezon City .”

Ok…. I’m interested enough to give this one a look-see… especially given how interesting the last few Philippine films made the Aswang out to be. Will it make me one happy Catgirl? You certainly know the drill by now…. 😉

“Tumbok” (2011) – Philippine Ghost/ Horror

Time to swing by the sunny Philippines for today’s movie review, and this time out we have a look at Topel Lee’s latest horror offering, 2011’s “Tumbok”. The Trailer promises a haunted apartment building, ghosts, creepy goings on, and a look at a traditional Philippine version of feng shui. Think I could pass it all up? Not on your life.

Our story goes like this: “After they tie the knot, newlyweds Grace (Cristine Reyes) and Ronnie (Carlo Aquino) inherit a run-down condominium unit from the unexpected death of Ronnie’s dad under eerie circumstances. The building stands right at the center of the crossroads of three streets, an unlucky location referred to as “Tumbok”. Such a place is believed by the superstitious to gather negative spiritual energy and bring bad fortune to all who dare to live there. Not long after moving in, Grace begins to sense something strange about the place and those who also live there. More horrible than the inexplicable things she is witnessing, is the abuse she begins to experience nightly in her dreams. Disturbed, terrified and pregnant with child, Grace must somehow try to uncover the secret behind all the dread misfortunes they are experiencing before it is too late and they cannot escape from the place of horror they now call home.”

Yep. That definitely sounds like one of those sorts of movies I like, and both Topel Lee and Cristine Reyes have entertained me before in other Philippine horror efforts, so what are we waiting for? That’s right… it’s time to “Read On” and find out just exactly what the heck “Tumbok” is all about!

“Bulong” (2011) – Philippine Ghost/ Horror/ Comedy

Seems like the perfect time for another one of my recent Philippine horror DVD’s to make it’s way to my player, and this time out it’s a look at “Bulong”, a horror comedy mash-up with a little romance thrown in for flavor.

The synopsis? How about this: “How much are you willing to sacrifice to win the girl of your dreams? In “Bulong”, Conan (Vhong Navarro) whispers his wish to the dead –  that the woman of his dreams, Ellen, would love him back as much as he desired her. Little did he know that the corpse he whispered his wish to was a mangkukulam! And now that Ellen starts noticing him and giving him the attention he has been craving, the spirit of the dead witch starts haunting him to complete her last unfinished task as payment for that wish. In desperation, Conan reluctantly turns to his former best friend Oprah (Angelica Panganiban) for help.

Together they travel and experience the horrors of both the witch’s haunting as well as the evil attentions of Satan himself who seems determined to stop them from finishing that task at all costs!!”

Sounds good, and the Trailer certainly looks promising, so with my lil’ fingers crossed, your Favorite Catgirl plans to give it a “Nekolishous” look see.  The Philippine film audience likes much the same wacky genre combinations as you find in Indonesian and Thai films, so there’s a good chance I’ll find much of that crazy comedy/ horror here as well. You know this lil’ Catgirl is up for this kind of goofy stuff, so here’s hoping I’m not disappointed!

But as always… the proof is in the watchin’… so you’ll have to “Read On”, o’ Gentle Visitor if you want to find out how this one plays out.