Film to theater: 6 shows to entertain you this week

Here are six shows, on screen and on stage, that might capture your interest.

Film

Captain America: Brave New World

Now showing in cinemas nationwide, the latest MCU installment brings Sam Wilson, the new Captain America, to the big screen, played by the ever-capable Anthony Mackie. A continuation of the 2021 miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Brave New World follows Wilson as he strives to prove his worth, while Harrison Ford’s US President Thaddeus Ross navigates geopolitical tensions, and the near-indestructible metal adamantium comes into play.

Though Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers is missed, the real issue with Mackie’s big-screen Cap debut is the uninspired storytelling — humorless, pedantic dialogue and a juvenile, predictable plot had me walking out of the IMAX theater midway. It was so boring. Still, if you’re a hardcore MCU fan, you might want to watch it to stay in the loop.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

I haven’t seen this one yet — I even missed the third installment. But I’m obsessed with the first Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) — I’ve watched it a gazillion times. 

With a fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 85% as of press time, I’m definitely catching Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, now showing in cinemas. I can’t wait to see Renée Zellweger reprise her ultra-lovable, self-deprecating, awkward and relatable Bridget as she navigates the dating scene once again. 

In the fourth — and final — chapter of the film series, she’s a single mother caught in a love triangle with a younger man and her son Billy’s science teacher. I don’t expect it to surpass the original, but hey, it’s worth checking out.

Sundance Shorts

Available for free until 19 February on FestivalScope.com, this is your chance to explore an exciting selection of award-winning short films from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. The platform offers limited-time online access to 30 acclaimed shorts from the lineup.

Don’t miss The Masterpiece by Àlex Lora (Grand Jury Prize), The Stag by Chu An (Jury Award: International Competition), Bob’s Funeral by Jack Dunphy (Jury Award: Animated Competition), and many more.

Sign up for FestivalScope’s mailing list for updates on the finest short films from prestigious festivals worldwide. Who says you need a budget to enjoy quality cinema? All you need is an internet connection.

Theater

Next to Normal

Playing only until February 23 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight, Circuit Makati, The Sandbox Collective’s staging of the hit Broadway musical Next to Normal (music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey) features two alternating casts. I caught the press preview with the cast led by Nikki Valdez, alongside Floyd Tena, Jam Binay, Benedix Ramos, Davy Narciso, and Jef Flores.

A rock opera about mental health and grief within a family, it aims to tell a heartbreaking story through music. I’m not a fan of the musical itself — its songs and execution felt pretty prosaic — but one number, "Maybe (Next to Normal)", made me weep. And, hey, it’s a Tony- and Pulitzer-winning show, so it’s worth a try. I must say, Valdez, as the bipolar mother Diana Goodman, delivers a captivating performance.

O, Pag-ibig na Makapangyarihan

Playing at the IBG-KAL Theater in UP Diliman every Friday to Sunday this February, this play “explores” the love story of Gregoria “Oryang” de Jesús and Andres Bonifacio. I caught the press preview of this 1893-set “rom-com,” written and directed by playwright and Tag-Ani Performing Arts Society President Bonifacio Ilagan. It keeps the energy up with occasional fourth-wall breaks, ensuring there’s never a dull moment.

Like many historical plays, it leans on a narrator for exposition and linguistic accessibility. Angellie Nicholle R. Sanoy as Remigia delivers her role with such brio that she overshadows Oryang, making her narrator the play’s central character.

While it elicits chuckles (with some scattered cringey humor), Remigia helps bridge the language barrier for audiences unfamiliar with pure Filipino. The play skims over Oryang and Andres’ first meeting, focusing instead on the period of their separation — but it never truly makes us feel why Oryang fell for Andres. Political themes are forced in, catering to a specific audience but detracting from the supposed central romance. In the end, it offers more historical bullet points than a compelling love story.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Repertory Philippines will open its 88th season with a restaging of the longest-running Off-Broadway musical, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, at the new Repertory Eastwood Theater beginning this month.

Directed by Menchu Launchengco-Yulo, the play is a sheer pleasure to watch. I caught its first run last year at RCBC Plaza — it was a feel-good, fun production with dazzling performances from Gian Magdangal, Gabby Padilla, Krystal Kane, and Marvin Ong. Kane, in particular, was my personal favorite.

I don’t need to say more. I’m watching it again this month. So should you.