When I was at a seminar, a journalist from a well-known news network began talking about extrajudicial killing. A young man behind my friend whined and uttered that the talk was getting “too political.” Nonchalantly, he stood up from his seat and left the venue.

Some people ask why activists are invariably enraged. When the question should be, “why do people stay politically apathetic when you live in a country riddled with fascism, injustice, sexism, and oppression?” Or “how are you able to forget a tragedy that stole thousands of lives and billions of money when the victims are suffering up to this day and the country has not yet recovered?” When those who stand and serve the people are being captured, if not, murdered.

In fact, many political prisoners, including student activists are being held behind bars. Some were never found, and some are now forgotten by many. Meanwhile, we have those responsible still free and hiding behind propaganda.

Activists who fight for the rights of the oppressed minorities do not only worry about the problematic ways the corrupt officials govern the system. A ceaseless sleep not thinking about their own lives and the families they love is one of the things they have to sacrifice for the good of the country.

David Gaider, a published author and former developer of BioWare says, “Privilege is when you think something is not a problem because it’s not a problem to you personally.”

Let us not only hope for voices to stop being silenced when they need to be heard. Politics itself is proof that we should not accept reality, to not only speak up but to listen. Anyone can get involved by doing these simple things:

1. Get educated

Watch the news. Read about history and politics, use the library; even online ones offer a plethora of books about these subjects. Start by binge-reading the works of two of our favorite legendary Filipino authors, Lualhati Bautista and Nick Joaquin.

2. Join political discussions or movements

Signing up for clubs and organization will help you learn from other people. It does not have to be boring, bring a friend with you.

3. Know the difference between real and fake news

Get to know the author first. A site’s popularity does not equate to credibility. The domain name itself manifests the credibility; for instance, “.com.co.” Do you see any errors in grammar and spelling? Are the sources and citations parallel to academic standards?

4. Art, Music, Film, and Literature can inspire social change

There are countless talented artists out there who deserve a bigger audience, who promote movements such as feminism and combating important issues like homophobia.

Notably, now that we’re living in the age of social media, its power should not be underestimated. Social commentary can change minds. There is a world out there beyond our perspective.

May the past be a lesson for future voters and leaders because Filipinos deserve better.

Post-millennials, born after the year 1996 are digital natives. Still growing in the Information Age, the Generation Z already has the confidence that they have the technological skills employers need, according to the research involving 730 Filipino students.

Despite the negative connotation among Filipino youths; having the majority of their time spent online, they still value human interaction in the workplace and seek one that is responsible socially and environmentally.

By 2020, Generation Z could represent 20 per cent of the workforce.

Dell Technologies surveyed high school and college students, ages 16-23 years old from around the globe, regarding the views they have for technology and future careers. In the recent global study entitled, Gen Z: The Future Has Arrived, Philippines among the other five Southeast Asian countries; Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, ranked the highest in almost all the categories. Including a perfect 100 per cent of the young Filipino respondents have used technology as part of their formal education.

Dell EMC, South Asia & Korea, Commercial Business Senior Vice President Pang Yee Beng says, “Understanding the skills that this generation possesses can open up new opportunities for businesses. And especially if those skills can be successfully democratised across the workforce, narrowing the digital divide amongst employees and strengthening technological capabilities overall.”

It’s more than just the money for the Filipino youth.

84 per cent of them believe that averting bias and discrimination will make technology and automation create a better and equitable work environment for every employee. This manifests that diversity and equality are of importance to them. Furthermore, 60 percent want to contribute and help the society or the environment with the use of technology.

Collaboration is key to every business. Gen Z Filipinos definitely understand that concept. In reality, 74 percent favor working with a team more than doing work independently. In the digital era and the age of social media, it might come as a surprise to earlier generations, but 77 percent of them actually prefer learning from co-workers on the job rather than online.

“While digital transformation journey in the country is unique for every business, this survey shows that Filipino youth are ready to be part and shape that journey,” says Country General Manager Ronnie Latinazo of Dell EMC Philippines.

Although the confidence of Gen Z-ers about their technological skills does not necessarily equate to readiness in the workforce. In fact, 96 percent of the respondents say they are worried about employability with 60 percent stating their lack of working experience is the reason.

“What is surprising is the level of digital maturity they are bringing to the workplace,” says Mr Pang. “Yet we haven’t raised a generation of robots. Gen Z sees technology not only as a tool for enabling human progress, but also as a means for levelling the information empowerment playing field. Their combination of vision and optimism is remarkable.”

For Generation Z Filipinos who dread that they are not being taken seriously in the professional world, Mr. Pang gently reminds us to “Convince your bosses and your peers with action because action speaks louder than words.”

Every generation has all been there. Even the older generations were once young and inexperienced too. There is a common notion about age; “The older you are, the more knowledge you have.” But with the presence of technology, Gen Zs will change your mind.

Immerse yourself in these Netflix Originals that put the well-deserved spotlight on complicated, relatable, and multi-faceted female characters.

Here are 7 strong female characters that you can watch on Netflix:

7. Natalie from Isn’t It Romantic

Natalie (Rebel Wilson) is a promising, but often-ignored architect and a cynic when it comes to love. After getting mugged, she wakes up to find herself in a real-life rom-com, where she is suddenly the star of the firm and earns the attention of a handsome stranger. Though she gets herself into some wacky and hilarious situations straight out of every rom-com out there, Natalie eventually learns that she doesn’t need love to empower herself and come into her own.

6. Maeve from Sex Education

At first glance, Maeve (Emma Mackey) seems to be the typical, troubled high-school rebel, but we quickly learn that there’s more to her than meets the eye. She is a fierce feminist, a passionate literature lover, a brilliant writer (and student!), and a supportive friend, proving that there’s plenty of room for complex portrayals of teen girls in TV shows.

5. Vanya from The Umbrella Academy

Vanya (Ellen Page) has one of the most interesting and compelling character arcs in The Umbrella Academy. At the beginning of the series, she is introduced as the outsider of the family, the only Hargreeves member without any superpowers. No spoilers here, but Vanya’s complicated relationship with her family transforms her into a major player in the series.

4. Blanca from Pose

Despite living a mostly troubled youth, the fierce and determined Blanca (MJ Rodriguez) takes life into her own hands and forms House Evangelista, a ballroom of mainly trans women performers. As a mother of the house, Blanca takes in many gay and trans characters of color who have been shunned by their biological families, giving them purpose, education, and a loving home that cares for them.

3. Nadia from Russian Doll

Nadia’s (Natasha Lyonne) story is a familiar yet interesting one. She mysteriously finds herself reliving the day of her death over and over. Her job as a video game designer makes her more than familiar with complex and surreal themes like game theory and the multiverse, and she takes matters into her own hands throughout the show.

2. Sabrina from Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Kiernan Shipka’s Sabrina is all about female empowerment. Not only does she create a club that supports girls in their school, but she also bravely pushes back against the system that she’s born into. Sabrina is a strong and independent young woman who stands up for what she believes in, even when the odds are stacked against her.

1. Seo Bi from Kingdom

When a zombie apocalypse strikes in Korea’s Joseon Era, Seo Bi (Bae Doona) quickly shows that she is no damsel in distress. As a physician, she works fearlessly and tirelessly to find a cure that will save the kingdom.

Celebrate diversity and a bigger world of storytelling possibilities with Netflix this Women’s Month. Stars such as OITNB’s Uzo Aduba, Roma’s Yalitza Aparicio, Nanette’s Hannah Gadsby, and more amazing women share how their voices are heard and their stories are told through Netflix in this “Make Room” video featurette.

Before we jump to anything else, let’s make one thing clear real quick: you cannot recreate a youthful complexion once it is gone—you can only maintain the one that you currently have. And that’s perfectly okay.

Your 20s are already hard enough without having to consider anti-aging skincare. But even though you may have just graduated from college, signs of aging will soon begin to creep up on you before you know it. But please don’t stress (no really, it will just make things worse), because there are only a few steps to incorporate into your existing routine that will keep your baby face plump and glowing for the years to come.

NYLON Manila talked to Dr. Anilene A. Akiyama, an Aesthetic, Anti-aging, and Regenerative Medicine specialist to answer your skin concerns.

What is the earliest age when we can start using anti-aging products? 

As early as you hit your 20s, you can start using anti-aging products. Around this time the collagen production of our skin is not as efficient as it used to be. Collagen and elastin are proteins found in the skin that gives it its elasticity and firmness, so it is vital that we continuously stimulate these. And of course, you can never be too young to start using sunblock. Protect your skin on a daily basis from harmful UV rays.

We recommend the following products to kickstart your anti-aging regimen:

• EviDenS The Best Sellers Set (P3995) – This five-piece collection in convenient travel sizes offers AM and PM essentials, which when used together deliver skin renewal benefits around the clock for perfectly moisturized, lifted, toned, and ultra-luminous skin.
• 111Skin Y Theorem Repair Serum (P13,895) – The hero product that inspired the 111Skin product range, the Y theorem repair serum is an innovative anti-aging serum that reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, builds volume, and rejuvenates the complexion to reveal younger, plumper looking skin. All 111Skin products are inspired by real-life cosmetic cases from 111 Harley Street in London.

What should we keep in mind (ex: ingredients) when purchasing products such as anti-aging creams? 

• Aside from retinoids, my favorite would be hyaluronic acid and Vitamin C. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that’s also found in our skin. This actually helps maintain a good level of hydration that keeps our skin soft and plump.
• Vitamin C not just boosts your collagen formation, it also sequesters the free radicals that causes premature skin aging. It also has anti-inflammatory and lightening effects as it decreases melanin production, thereby correcting our dark spots.

Our favorite Vitamin C-infused products are:

• Femmue Lumiere Vital C (P6395) – Formulated with a gentle vitamin C derivative (Ascorbic Glucocide) to brighten and even skin tone, while moisturizing and calming skin from Hyaluronic acid and Panthenol.
• 111Skin Vitamin C Brightening Booster (P 6095) – This booster combines pure Vitamin C with Glutathione and Liquorice Root to boost the brightening and antioxidant effects. All of this is formulated with Citric Acid which helps to drive the ingredients deeper in the skin, without the irritation.

Is there a popular beauty myth you would like to debunk? 

• Myth: People with oily skin don’t need to moisturize.
• Truth: everyone needs moisturization. In fact some skin types may appear oily because of over production of sebum as an attempt of our body to naturally keep the moisture in. To prevent this from happening, after cleansing and toning, a person with oily skin may choose to apply a light weight, hydrating and non-comedogenic (meaning they won’t clog your pores) moisturizer.

What should be the proper order of application in skin care? 

I believe in a simple and effective regimen that’s easy to follow and stick to: Cleanse, tone, moisturize and protect.

• Prepare the skin by cleansing it properly, in the morning and at night, especially if you’ve been wearing heavy make up all day. Remove all the impurities and dirt using a gentle and suitable cleanser for you. 
• Next is your toner. This is a very important step as it balances the pH levels of your skin and prepares it for better absorption of other products that you will later lather on.
• Next step is to moisturize. You may have a lot of products, and are confused on which one to use first. The number of products to be applied would really vary and depending on your skin type, but to make it easier, remember to start with the lightest consistency to the heaviest. This is so the lighter products will not have a hard time penetrating the skin. Also, allow each product to be absorbed and wait a few minutes before applying anything else.
• And last but most importantly, protect- apply a suitable sunscreen depending on your activity for the day. Ideally it should be a broad spectrum sunblock that protects from both UVA and UVB, and at least SPF 30.

We love the Dr. Barbara Sturm Discovery Set (P6495) because it has a little bit of everything you need! This 7-piece travel-size set containing Face Cream, Cleanser, Facial Scrub, one Hyaluronic Ampoule, Eye Cream, Anti-Aging Body Cream, and a Face Mask Sachet, will exfoliate, hydrate, and repair your skin to deliver a radiant #STURMGLOW. We also recommend taking care of your skin against pollution and blue light. Here are our favorite products for that:

• Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Pollution Drops (P4995) – This innovative serum contains a special Skin Protect Complex, with extracts derived from marine microorganisms. These extracts will strengthen your skin’s defense against urban pollution and signs of atmospheric skin aging.
• 111Skin NAC Y2 Pollution Defence Booster, 20ml (P5,495) – This essential booster utilises the power of protective peptides and antioxidants to shield the skin and safeguard against damage caused by free radicals and blue light.

With multiple over-the-top stages and powerful performances, BTS’ Map of The Soul ON:E becomes the highest-grossing paid virtual concert of 2020. Showcasing the songs from their 2020 album, Map of the Soul: 7 along with some classics from their discography.

RELATED: The Shirt SUGA Wore In Daechwita Dance Practice Is Worth 75 Album Photocards

While the two-day online concert definitively proved that BTS has been releasing quality hits through the years, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook’s humanity became the heart of the show. It’s no wonder the fanbase is ever-growing. Numbers can’t lie, either. According to Touring Data, Map of the Soul ON:E ranks at #1 highest-grossing virtual concert of 2020 with over P2.2 Billion earned from 993,000 paid viewers in 191 regions (₩50 billion; 2 shows).

Having the tendency to become a fangirl myself, it was hard not to fawn over the Korean boyband. With each performance never the same as the old ones, they took the fans (and first-timers like myself) by surprise in every song. The first night of the concert exhibited a whirlwind of emotions—not only from the fans, but the boys as well. At one point, Jimin broke down in tears, saying how unfortunate it was for the pandemic to happen as he was looking forward to meeting ARMY face-to-face like they usually would for their concert tours. Nonetheless, it was evident that the seven members of BTS gave their all on that stage. With a jam-packed setlist of 23 songs, they made every penny worth it.

Each of them had their shining solo moments too, making a first-time BTS concert attendee like me, get to know them better. For ARMY, this Map of the Soul ON:E concert marked the first time they ever got to see the solo and unit songs from Map of the Soul: 7 performed live.

Their songs were presented with grand set pieces across multiple stages. There were jaw-dropping costume changes, new choreography, and song remixes, and bold special effects that provided escapism for fans.

Personally, what I loved most about their online concert was the fact that it was actually live. Lucky fans were shown on-screen, and even onstage almost throughout the concert, showing real-time reactions from ARMY as they performed. There were ARMY bombs lit up across the venue, representing all the fans that could not be there physically.

And consistently in those two days, before they performed their final song, they would take their sweet time thanking ARMY for the unconditional love and support in this tough time.

To close the show, they performed, We Are Bulletproof: the Eternal, a song that reflects on their past struggles while affirming their love for each other and ARMY.

It’s safe to say that after attending this two-day concert, my heart has turned purple for BTS.

RELATED: All The Times BTS (And Their Merch) Appeared In Dramas

Filipino animated movies are a dime in a dozen in local cinema so one this unique that tackles an all too relevant subject matter warrants a viewing.

Most of us have come to see Philippine cinema as churning out mostly comedies, romance, action, or a mix of those three. From time to time though, there are local movies that change the formula in some way or tackle topics and styles rarely seen in most local movies and Paglisan is
one of those movies. Paglisan is an animated musical that originally premiered during the 2018 Cinema One Originals film festival but was recently uploaded to Cinema One’s YouTube channel to watch for free.

The movie follows Crisanto (Ian Veneracion) and Dolores (Eula Valdez), a middle-aged couple living in Manila. Crisanto is a former musical theater actor who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and this diagnosis tests his relationship with Dolores, a former musical theater actor as well who is struggling with depression. The two of them now must try to mend a breaking relationship that is made worse with fading memories.

Mental health is a serious subject matter that until recently was rarely featured in pop culture or was mischaracterized but Paglisan handles that topic well. The mental health problems that both characters are facing aren’t just there for plot purposes but are weaved into their lives that make it feel personal and relatable instead of stereotypical. The Alzheimer’s disease that Crisanto is struggling with affects his memory which makes it hard for him to remember things which in turn affect his relationships and well-being. Dolores’ struggle with depression makes it hard for her to take care of her husband at times and pulls her down in the process. Both of them have their struggles to deal with and the movie treats their journey with maturity and respect instead of the pitfalls that pop culture tends to portray people with mental illness. This isn’t a grand journey but a personal one between two people who love each other but sometimes find it hard to do so.

Their story is given more heart by the standout performances of Ian Veneracion and Eula Valdez. They absolutely carry this film and have amazing chemistry with one another. Despite it being animated, it feels like both of them are in the room together talking to one
another. Ian brings this world-weariness to Crisanto while Eula brings a crass-like sense of humor to Dolores that gives them dimension. Their voices bring a sense of love, warmth, pain, and loss to the characters that make this movie all the better. They really brought their characters to life.

As for what makes this movie stand out from the rest, the animation is done in a 2-D style that makes the film look like a mix between watercolor painting and sketchbook. Paglisan in motion looks like its moving frame-by-frame which gives it a mature children’s book vibe.

This isn’t a big-budget Pixar movie but it’s simple animation and eye-catching style gives the movie a unique charm to it. Despite the simple budget, the movie manages to effectively use its art style and animation to help accentuate what the Crisanto and Dolores are going through.

Sometimes, the characters lose their color and are just left with their outlines which could suggest that they are losing themselves. In a few scenes, the film changes the background to reflect the mental
state of the characters.

The most surprising aspect of Paglisan is that it’s part musical and it is implemented well. There are only a few songs in this movie but the ones that are in are great and help elaborate on what the characters are thinking and going through. Just as with their speaking voices, Ian and Eula’s singing voices are amazing and bring the emotion that drives home the message of the songs they sing.

During most scenes, there isn’t a score being played so the focus is given on the conversations between Crisanso and Dolores which makes them even more personal. Music though still plays an important part in this movie as both characters used to work in musical theater and the stage is used as a symbolism for their struggles as Crisanto has a hard time finding the right words on stage and Dolores imagines herself on an empty stage from time-to- time which represents her depressive episodes.

Animation is a popular movie genre both here and abroad yet rarely do we have locally made animated movies. This could be because there’s a lack of interest from major local studios to produce animated movies or that the local animation industry doesn’t get the support it needs. It
seems that it takes years just for a locally made animated movie to come out and it doesn’t get that much attention when released. Paglisan came and went in 2018 but with it being available
on YouTube, there is now a chance for more people to see this unique gem. This isn’t an animated movie for kids, but a mature tale of love and loss.

Don’t expect to see action here (if action is what you’re looking for though, try watching RPG Metanoia, a Filipino 3-D animated movie released back in 2010 that follows a group of kids trying to stop an evil virus in the video game they play), instead this movie musical is an emotional, heartwarming, and even sad story.

A unique animation style, excellent voice work, and a touching story help make Paglisan a good choice for those wanting a different experience from Philippine cinema.

From ghosts to demons and man-eating monsters, these horror movies give some of the scariest and most suspenseful experiences the horror genre has to offer.

Even though we may not be able to go trick-or-treating, have a Halloween costume party, or go to a haunted house, that doesn’t mean we can’t get into the Halloween spirit. Horror movies are a great alternative to bring in that Halloween spirit and can be enjoyed alone for that solo terrifying experience, or with friends and family to share the scares.

The unique thing about horror movies is that it can turn any topic and scenario into something scary and visceral which plays on our fears and emotions.

Bring the scares indoors with these 9 horror movies so scary, they just might keep you up all night.

Haunt (2019)

If you can’t go to a haunted house this year, relive the tense experience in this gory flick from the writers of A Quiet Place. The movie follows a group of teenagers on Halloween night who go to an “extreme” haunted house and discover some dark and deadly secrets behind its creepy walls.

The film succeeds most in how it plays with the audience’s expectation of what to expect in a haunted house. In every tight corner, hallway, or claustrophobic tunnel the characters pass through, the movie heightens up the tension making the audience wait in anticipation that something is going to happen. The movie is also quite violent and doesn’t shy away from
showing the blood and guts of the characters as they get picked off one by one.

If you like gore in horror movies and can handle it, then this movie is right up your alley. This tense movie delivers on the gore and scares and even manages to give some subtle commentary on confronting one’s past. Haunt envisions the haunted house from hell and turns it into a place where your nightmares come true, which makes this a solid horror movie.

Host (2020)

The pandemic has pushed most of us to meet virtually with Zoom being one of the more popular services. With people meeting mostly virtually, this gives horror movies a chance to try something new and this inventive horror movie takes the demonic haunting trope and gives it a virtual twist.

Shot entirely on Zoom, Host follows a group of friends as they hold a séance during lockdown over Zoom. Their intent of summoning a friendly spirit goes awry though and end up summing a spirit with less than good intentions. While the demonic haunting idea has been done multiple times before, what the movie does, it does extremely well. The movie is incredibly
scary and knows just how to build tension.

At just under an hour in length, the film uses its short run time effectively and once the action starts going, it goes full-on. The entire movie is set
during a Zoom call so all you get to see is the screens of the participants, which gives the movie a bit of a found-footage feel. To top it all off, the movie features one of the best jump scares in recent movie history.

Its inventive premise alone might make you watch but the scares will keep
you until the end. This is one of the best horror movies of the year and is a must-watch for any horror movie fan.

I See You (2019)

If demons and dark creatures aren’t your thing, then maybe I See You could be the movie that gets under your skin. The film centers on a family of three, Greg Harper (Jon Tenney), the father and a detective, Jackie Harper (Helen Hunt), the mother and a psychiatrist, and Connor Harper (Judah Lewis), their son. The family is going through a rough patch as it was revealed that Jackie cheated on Greg with another man which brings tension to the family. Things start to get eerie though as during an investigation into the disappearance of a little boy, creepy occurrences start happening in the Harper household.

The movie shines best in its meticulous story pacing and well-crafted plot. It
has a strong narrative that keeps you hooked through its loops and twists that makes the movie even more unexpected. It is also aided by a suspenseful tone that is perverse throughout the entire movie and a sense that something isn’t right at home. The film manages to make things
feel creepy like knowing that something is wrong, but unsure of what it is. I See You is a smart suspense-thriller that might make you think one thing, but cleverly reveals its secrets to make it so much better. After watching this movie, you might think twice whenever you hear a squeak at home.

It Follows (2014)

One of 2014’s most talked about movies, It Follows was scary then, and is still scary now. After Jay (Maika Monroe) has a sexual encounter, she is followed by a supernatural force intent on harming her, and the only way to get rid of it is to pass it on to someone else. The movie employs dead space really well, which means that since the supernatural force can take any shape it wants, the audience anxiously scans the corners of the scene to see where the presence may be coming from. You’re constantly on edge of when the supernatural force will appear and when it does, it’s usually without warning which makes the scare even better.

The feeling of dread of not knowing what happens next is palpable. While the presence may or may not be a metaphor for unsafe sex, the movie is a dark one all the way until the end and makes for a great viewing experience for Halloween.

[Rec] (2007)

The Blair Witch Project may have invented the found footage horror movie sub-genre and Paranormal Activity brought it into the mainstream, but [Rec] may be one of the few movies to have truly excelled in the use of found footage and shaky cam. This Spanish horror movie follows Angela (Manuela Velasco), a television reporter and her cameraman as they follow
emergency workers into an apartment building where they get locked inside and discover something dark within its walls.

This movie is a scare-fest through and through. It’s an emotional roller coaster ride full of frights that are aided by the first-person nature of the camera. A movie so good it spawned 3 sequels (to varying degrees of quality), [Rec] is non-stop horror and an edge-of-you-seat experience that provides some of the most heart-pounding scares in recent memory. This is a superior horror movie that doesn’t back down with its frights and shows just how effective the found footage style can be.

Shutter (2004)

Asian horror movies have been known throughout the world as some of the best horror movies out there and Shutter is no exception. After fleeing the scene of an accident, young photographer Tun and his girlfriend, Jane, discover mysterious shadows in the photos they process.

Soon, they discover that those shadows relate to Tun’s past and that his checkered past is coming back to haunt him. This Thai horror movie is very creepy with its use of photography to hide and reveal the ghost and it’s also scary with well-placed jump scares that are effective.

At the heart of the film is quite a compelling story of love, betrayal, and lies which gives emotional depth to the movie. Shutter oozes atmosphere with its dark and foreboding nature with a sense that bad things are going to happen, and you aren’t sure when it will happen. Vastly better than the 2008 US remake, Shutter is a haunting ghost story that can send shivers down your spine.

The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016)

Working at a morgue maybe one of the scariest jobs out there. Constantly being in the presence of dead bodies is not for everybody and can be a stressful situation for some people. In The Autopsy of Jane Doe, working at the morgue is taken to new and terrifying heights. The movie follows Tommy (Briand Cox) and Austin (Emile Hirsch), a father and son who are both coroners. One night, the local sheriff brings in a body found buried in the basement of a crime scene that doesn’t match with what happened in the crime and he requests the coroners to identify the body.

As the night goes on, mysterious things start to happen, and they soon discover that all is not right with the mysterious Jane Doe. While not one of the more ambitious horror movies out there, the film’s strength lies in its ability to build a tense atmosphere and a sense of dread. The movie is mostly set in a morgue, but the movie manages to make most of the space to deliver tense scares without relying too much on special effects. The flickering of lights and bumps in the dark are just some ways the movie shows that things are about to go down.

The father/son relationship between Tommy and Austin is also believable, which makes their plight easier to sympathize with. The Autopsy of Jane Doe is a low-budget thriller that delivers on the scares and an intriguing mystery that will keep you hooked all the way until the end.

The Descent (2005)

Considered as one of the best horror movies of the 2000s, The Descent is a tour de force of intensity and violence about spelunking gone wrong. A group of women goes cave exploring when they suddenly get trapped in the cave. They soon realize though that they aren’t alone and now they must struggle to survive against a group of bloodthirsty creatures. This movie is no slow burner as once the action starts, it’s tense scene after tense scene.

As most of the movie is set underground, the movie excels in using the tight corridors, dark spaces, and narrows tunnels to its advantage to build the suspense. The fear of not knowing what’s in the dark or getting stuck
in one of the cave’s many tunnels is very much present here. Things can and will get bloody and grotesque which brings out the viscera feeling that The Descent so effortlessly gives.

This is one of the scariest movies ever made featuring a female protagonist and also has one of the best endings ever seen in a horror movie. The Descent is a brutal battle for survival and one of the best monster movies that know how to sustain the intensity all the way until the credits roll.

The Exorcist (1973)

There is a reason why The Exorcist is widely regarded as one of, if not the, best movies of all time. At nearly 50 years old, the movie is still very scary with Regan’s possession still inducing fear to this day. This film features a jolting tale of a 12-year-old girl being possessed by the devil, a desperate mother, and two priests called in to exorcise the demon that is still just as
tense now as it was in 1973. Regan’s slow turn into the dark side is so compelling with iconic scenes like her crawling down the stairs and turning her head 180-degrees that it manages to draw in the audience and keep them invested in the story.

Another thing that makes this movie so good is its use of inserts of a black-and-white demon face in some scenes. These inserts occur within an eighth of a second and are so fast that you might think you’re seeing things. An excellent film from start to finish, The Exorcist is a classic you can’t go wrong with.

Connecting Filipinos through skincare, makeup and all things beauty, wherever in the world they may be, the editors of Pinta Magazine conceived an Instagram beauty zine at the height of the pandemic.

After spending years being in the editorial industry—from Meg Magazine to Mega Magazine—Ionne Ocampo is starting something of her own in the beauty space. 

On September 2, the Creative Director introduced the world to Pinta, a new Instagram beauty zine that’s rooted in Filipino heritage, and all of the stories and brands that have sprouted in the beauty community.

Ionne and her team have laid out some inspiring groundwork that put a strong emphasis on celebrating, creating, and promoting Filipino beauty. And despite new digital media brands launching every other day, the Pinta team is confident in what their IntaZine can offer.

In this NYLON Manila exclusive, Ionne Ocampo, Mich Sancianco, and Guia Galvez talk about what it’s like creating a digital brand with nothing but their shared love for beauty and a longing to stay rooted in their Filipino culture.

How did the idea of Pinta Magazine come about? And why start it now, amidst a pandemic? 

The three of us have bonded through our love for beauty since our beginning in the editorial industry. We’ve seen how the representation of morenas and locally-made products are still “special issues” instead of the norm. Pinta’s purpose (or “Panatang Pinta,” as we like to call our mission-vision) is to fill that gap. The idea for Pinta has always been in the back of our minds, but being in lockdown—with 2/3 of the team living far from home, strengthened the longing and the need to connect to our roots.

This is the first time I’m hearing of an “InstaZine” to be honest. But I’m loving the concept. What can the readers expect when they click that follow button? 

Pinta is a beauty zine that lives entirely on Instagram. Instead of releasing the whole issue at once, our readers can expect weekly updates throughout the month, and each post is part of a theme—so we encourage our readers to view our feed for the full experience. We have a balanced mix of traditional long-form articles and snackable content. We have an interactive vlog series called, Roundtable Review, and we love engaging with our readers through Pinta Polls on IG Stories. Being based on Instagram makes it easier for us to find under-the-radar local brands, feature emerging talent, and instantly connect with our beauty community. 

What do you think makes a magazine now, in this modern age? I believe some of your team were once Meg girls too (like me!), but I never made it to the era when we were still doing print issues. 

When you turn the pages of a glossy, what are the articles that interest you? What are the feelings they evoke? How are the ads and images different from, say, a newspaper? Or a Buzzfeed page? These elements of editorial creation, from the way we write our prose, to our approach to art, remain essential and relevant even if the platform has changed. Media has converged from print to online. It’s something we’ve seen coming for a long time and a change we embrace.

What is something you guys learned from the publishing industry that you still apply now?

Every issue of Meg Magazine that we worked on was deeply collaborative and conceptualized through the team’s unique perspectives. Our lineup meetings would always begin with each team member sharing an issue/problem that’s been on their mind (be it as shallow as getting a bad hair dye, to something as deep as dealing with loss), and from there we would develop content. We approach Pinta in a similar way. We’ve learned to take from our experiences and turn them into something that could be helpful to someone else. This zine is anchored on our collective experience as Filipinos and we’d like that to be reflected in the content we create.

Can you tell me what roles each of you fill in the team?

Ionne Ocampo is our Creative Director, Mich Sancianco and Guia Galvez are our Managing Editors. 

It’s been a month since you launched, how is it going so far? What are the challenges you guys encountered and how are you pushing through it? 

We are honestly floored with the support we’ve been getting! Pinta shines the spotlight on Filipino faces, voices, brands, and stories, and it is so affirming to read messages from our readers saying that they feel connected to their Filipino roots through our magazine.

It’s challenging to stand out and get noticed, especially on a fast-paced platform like Instagram. Because we’re a new title, it will take time for bigger brands and personalities to recognise Pinta. There are already many great digital publications out there, but by focusing our scope on beauty interwoven with Filipino roots, we’re able to slowly build our brand through an engaged following. 

Director Avid Liongoren and star Angelica Panganiban talk about what it’s like working on a locally made animated movie, the challenges they faced, and the message that they want people to take away from the movie.

Angelica Panganiban is no stranger when it comes to acting. Her first acting role was when she was 7 years old and ever since then has been a constant presence on the big and small screen. From comedy to drama, romance, and everything in between, she’s a proven actress who’s done a lot.

Avid Liongoren was mostly known for directing TV commercials and music videos for local artists such as Yeng Constantino but he became a director to watch for in the movie space after the release of the well-received Saving Sally which premiered during the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. His feature film debut about the growing relationship of two teenagers is unique because it features a hybrid mix of live-action scenes and animation (It’s currently available on Netflix).

Now, both of them enter a new point in their careers as they worked on Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story which has the distinction of being the first-ever locally produced animated movie to be exclusively distributed by Netflix. Angelica provided the voice for the film’s titular character and Avid directed the movie, making this his second feature-length film to date and first full-on animated movie.

The two sat down for an interview with NYLON Manila over Zoom to talk about the movie, their experience working on it, and what people can expect from the movie.

Set in the Philippines where human beings are animals, Hayop Ka centers on, Nimfa Dimaano (Angelica Panganiban), a pussycat who works as a perfume sales kitty at a department store. She’s dating Roger (Robin Padilla), a macho mongrel who is a janitor but Nimfa feels that she wants more in the relationship, especially when it comes to her social status in life.

One day while at work, Nimfa meets Iñigo Villanueva (Sam Milby), a bourgeoisie business dog and soon their chemistry ignites. Now, Nimfa has to decide who her heart truly belongs to. Avid revealed that one of the inspirations of the movie was radio dramas as he shared that he
was once stuck in traffic and decided to listen to a radio drama as he got bored listening to music. He had a great time listening to it and kept on laughing by the funny and overdramatic voices of the actors.

When the ubiquitous line of “Hayop ka!” was uttered, he wondered, what if
the characters were actually animals? He says that having the movie revolve around Nimfa and her love life was based on late night radio programs where people would call in and share their love lives to the DJ who would then berate the caller but also give advice. The full title (Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story) meanwhile is a homage to over-the-top 90s movie titles and those of director Carlo J. Caparas.

While Avid’s first feature film, Saving Sally, had a mix of live-action actors and animated backgrounds and characters, Hayop Ka is full-on animation and that transition had its set of strengths and challenges.

As he shares “It’s very easy [going from Saving Sally to Hayop Ka] from a technical point of view because we’re not using that much hard drive space and it’s easier to render.” The hard part came when it comes to working on the characters as it required multiple people to work on them.

He goes on to explain “When you’re animating, you have a voice performance and then you do the other half which will be the animation.

One character is like two characters, the first actor is the voice over and the second would be the animator, several animators working on one character. That’s the challenging part because you have a lot of people doing a single performance.”

Angelica Panganiban has been acting for decades but voice-over work for animated movies is not necessarily her forte. As she shares, she is not used to being a voice actor and it wasn’t easy, but she imagined it as a Hollywood experience, where big movie actors do voice over work for an animated movie.

One of the things that she likes about the role was that Nimfa is a flawed character and does things that you may or may not agree with. Working on an animated movie brought a unique set of challenges to Angelica as she says that doing the role was not an easy experience.

She explains how when it comes to working on live-action movies, everything is there and in front of you and there’s no need to pretend. That isn’t the case when it comes to animated movies as she says “Sa voice [acting], boses lang mo ang naririnig parang yun lang yung chance mo para ma-express kung ano yung nararamdaman ng character.”

She gave double the effort and at times, she realized that she was doing hard work and joked that if the recording booth wasn’t airconditioned, she would have been drenched in sweat from the effort she gave. She did enjoy the experience though in the end and had a fun time working on a fun movie.

Hayop Ka mainly revolves around a love triangle and how personal desires move people to do certain things and Angelica says that there’s a message people can get from this movie, especially when it comes to love. The message she hopes people take away is to be sincere when it comes to your feelings and be honest with your partner.

If you feel that things aren’t right for you, do what you think is right. Avid adds that it’s ok whether or not you like Nimfa as it’s better than not caring at all.

“I’d rather have somebody not like Nimfa than not care at all. If
there is a reaction, that means we did our job decently because it’s either you like her or not like her.”

Given that the movie will premiere exclusively on Netflix, Avid hopes that this opportunity will benefit the Philippine animation industry as he wishes that more studios will be encouraged to make more animated movies. He says that in a time of a pandemic, it’s harder to do live-action and animation might be a more viable option.

“I just hope more people get into this so that there’s more work for our local animators.” Angelica just hopes that people enjoy the movie because they all worked hard on it in the past few years.

Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story is available on Netflix on October 29.

From their humble beginnings to their meteoric rise, the BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky documentary lets the girls tell their side of the story.

The first time I ever heard of BLACKPINK was in August 2016, right around after their debut. I was in my bedroom on my iPad, and I saw on the trending tab on YouTube the music video for BOOMBAYAH. At that time, I had limited knowledge of K-pop. I knew what it was, but I didn’t consider myself a fan, and the only K-pop-related things I knew were the girl group 2NE1, the song Nobody from Wonder Girls, and Gangnam Style. Nonetheless, I decided to watch it to see what the hype was about, and I was blown away. The heavy beat drop in the chorus, Lisa’s rap, the choreography, the whole music video was amazing. I followed that up with Whistle and that pretty much sold me as a fan. Ever since then, my interest and liking for K-pop grew.

BLACKPINK has remained one of my favorite groups and one that I regularly follow. In 4 short years, they managed to have an unprecedented rise on the global stage that only a few have managed to achieve. The group’s members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa captivated the world with their addictive songs, eye-catching choreography, and well-made stages and now, they have a documentary out on Netflix detailing their beginnings and rise in fame. The movie has a personal look at the lives of the girls and how they got to where they are now. It follows a fairly generic structure of starting from where the girls come from, to their time as trainees in YG, and to their eventual debut and success.

The movie gives time for each of the girls to do and be in their own personal spaces like with Rose with her guitar, Lisa going vintage shopping, and the members hanging out with one another to show their family-like relationship.

There is a tendency for K-pop idols to sometimes come off as too guarded, which isn’t always their fault, but in this documentary, the girls get personal about their dreams and struggles in life. They talk about dealing with the difficulties of their trainee life, as well as their own personal struggles. Jennie talks about the struggle she had to face whether or not to move to America or pursue a career in singing.

Jisoo said that her relatives used to treat her like an outcast because she was ugly. One scene that caught my attention was when Lisa talked about how she feels like she isn’t the right role model for her fellow Thais as she is still trying to find who she is and what kind of singer she wants to be.

The movie does a great job in portraying Rosé’s musical side and her personal journey stand out as one of the more memorable moments. She is very much into making music and the movie does show her working on her much anticipated (and much delayed) solo music. It was a side of Rosé that was nice to see. For me, out of all the girls, Rosé was the one who really stood out to me, because it’s rare that we get to see this side from her, and it made me like her even more.

There aren’t a lot of interviews from people outside the group except for their longtime producer, Teddy Park, but he is able to give insightful commentary about the girls and his experience working with them which shows a different side to the group. An issue I have though is that I wish there were more behind-the-scenes look at how the group works like how they make their songs, their choreography, and such.

The conversations between Teddy and the girls were interesting and those scenes showed us a bit of a side we don’t normally see. It would have been nice if we got to see more of their work ethic. I also think that it would have been better if more interviews of people who know or are close to the girls, like their families, were included so as to get a more refined picture of who the group members are as a person.

As a fan, I’m happy with BLACKPINK: Light Up The Sky. It’s no secret in the fandom that it takes a long time for BLACKPINK to release anything so their first full-length album and documentary being released close to each other is a good thing. It’s approachable for new fans to get into while long-time fans will learn something new about their favorite idols. You get to see Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa not just as members of BLACKPINK, but as human beings with their own thoughts and feelings as they are anything but emotionless robots.