Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes (2018)

If I were to choose between watching a 50 shades movie or Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes ("The Two Mrs. Reyeses"), I would watch the latter and do it unironically too.

In this film we have Judy Ann Santos as Lianne and Angelica Panganiban as Cindy. Two faithful and devoted wives willing to do anything to please their husbands. Over the course of their marriages though infidelity runs wild but here's the catch. Their husbands didn't cheat on their wives with women, they cheated on their wives with each other. (#shookt)  Wacky antics ensue with Cindy and Lianne trying to get back at their husbands with the help of Steve by their side. 

What happens when you make the hangover version of sex in the city and add the Filipino brand of comedy that the Philippines is known for? You get this film and more. In all honesty, I felt a bit more "Tita" (aunty) after watching this film and I'm completely straight to begin with. It dealt with some of the social issues that society faces these days namely infidelity and discrimination in a manner that felt so comedic yet at the same time so real that you'd have so much sympathy for these characters and have all the laughs too just because of how one could relate to their situation regardless of gender roles. The punchlines and zingers would keep coming as the Santos-Panganiban tandem were in sync throughout the film with Juday being the straight man to Angelica's comic. Even the dialogues were that good and even though they were reaching a level of comedy akin to Zoolander (extremely vague and really stupid but really funny), each minor detail added more and more to the joke's depth with visuals and audibles that would really make you need to pay attention to everything happening on screen. The side characters to these kinds of films would usually be so one-dimensional and transparent that you'd often forget about them as they would be used to just get to the next part of the film but wow was Steve deep. A macho dancer with a heart of gold and an interesting social media presence, having a heart of gold would be one of those usual character traits but his progression on the film was something that just made me smile.

Great performances by Judy-Ann and Angelica for sure but their on screen partners didn't cut any slack as well. JC de Vera and Joross Gamboa played their parts to a a T. The cinematography was great giving great imagery to go along with this film and at the same time enhance the film experience. You could pause the film at certain times and it'd be a great 1 frame piece really. The plot was kind of a given but you get what you expect even from just the title alone. Definitely a film that does more to empower women and is best watched as one but still a really good film nonetheless.

8/10 for me. Definitely some moldbreaking in this film with some pretty heavy themes but the director Jun Robles Lana did a good job. Andrea Brillantes' acting chops definitely haven't come in though and it shows but she still has a promising future ahead of her. The plot was expected though but the humor does more than its fair share in carrying it because again, when a Filipino comedy doesn't take itself as seriously, expect it to be really good.

Loss is funny

TLDR: Watch it with your partner or if you're female, perfect for that girls night out

 Here's the trailer too if ever you have some hesitation