It Takes A Man And A Woman (2013) - Sarah Geronimo, John Lloyd Cruz

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It Takes a Man and a Woman is a Filipino romantic comedy film and the third and final installment in A Very Special Love franchise. Cathy Garcia-Molina return as the director of the film. Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz also reprise their roles as Laida Magtalas and Miggy Montenegro respectively.

From the back-to-back success of “A Very Special Love” that earned P 176 million in the box office and “You Changed My Life” that raked in P209 million in 2009, the biggest love reunion is here again as the couple that made everyone smile, laugh and fall in love reunites in “It Takes A Man And A Woman” to share to the whole nation everything that has happened to them in the past years.

In this story, we see couple Miggy (John Lloyd Cruz) and Laida (Sarah Geronimo) go separate ways, as each recovers from their break up two years ago. Miggy is still a disappointment to his family’s business reputation, while Laida, now with an accent and a better fashion sense (though still donning a wig), moved to work in New York. A special assignment that involved the two of them stands as a test on whether they’ve finally moved on or if they’re still stuck with their relationship from the past.

Reviews of the film has been mostly positive. Jeman Villanueva of the Orange Magazine TV wrote "I recommend this film and I’m planning to check it again on its 2nd day of screening. It do takes to have John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo to make a romantic-comedy movie you will never forget. And I’m giving the whole cast and crew a big power group hug! Staffs from the Sunstar reviewed its characters, specifically Laida and Miggy. They wrote "Sarah is convincing as the new, improved Laida. She has discarded the giggly, girlish image for a smart, assertive woman. John Lloyd doesn’t need to reinvent his character. All he has to do is turn on the charm machine full blast.

It Takes A Man And A Woman,” is the third installment of the hit romantic comedy movie series that is set to reveal the how Laida and Miggy’s four-year relationship headed to splitsville.

Menor De Edad (2013) - Meg Imperial

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Genre: Drama, Sexy

Director: Joel Lamangan
Main Cast: Ara Mina, Chynna Ortaleza, Jaycee Parker, Meg Imperial, Wendell Ramos
Supporting Cast: Almira Muhlach, Anna Luna, Arvic Rivero, Jef Gaitan, Jim Pebangco, Miko Aytona, Pio Valbuena

Synopsis: A young girl struggling with various problems turns to her professor for advice and comfort. The two form a bond that turns sour, and their lives are brought to an untenable pitch when she accuses him of rape.

Menor de Edad tries to explore some uneasy truths about our society, crafting a story around a young girl thrust into an inherently exploitative world, and a news media hungry to use her to their own ends. It’s all theoretically fascinating stuff, but it doesn’t quite turn out that way. Even though director Joel Lamangan tries harder to craft something interesting, the movie still turns out messy and confused. It quickly abandons the reality of the situation to play in more melodramatic fields, pushing the characters to do things that just don’t make any sense.

Even though it is technically a smaller movie, Menor de Edad suffers from excess. It is all too much: too much drama, too many subplots, and too many odd stylistic choices. The result is headache-inducing, the movie so loud and unfocused that it draws out a physical reaction. There’s merit in the issues the movie is trying to explore, but they are handled with all the grace of a sledgehammer. It is heartening, however, to see Lamangan trying to spread his wings a bit. But right now, it’s all just empty technique. Meanwhile, the emotions ring false.