How love becomes a ghost in Irene Villamor’s The Loved One (2026)
LOVE OUTLIVES the people who once carried it—a quiet, devastating truth that serves as the foundation of the emotional architecture of The Loved One (2026). Directed by Irene Villamor, the film traces the remains of a decade-long relationship between Ellie (Anne Curtis) and Eric (Jericho Rosales). Fittingly, The Loved One does not unfold as a […]
February 24, 2026
It lives, but no longer hers: Frankenstein (2025)
MYTH, MONSTERS, and love are Guillermo del Toro’s bread and butter. He loves grotesque beings so wholeheartedly that he can’t help sanding down their sharpest edges, polishing their wounds until they gleam with reflected humanity. In Frankenstein (2025), his long-gestating adaptation of Mary Shelley’s original text, that generosity becomes both the film’s animating force and […]
January 19, 2026
#VantPicks: QCinema 2025 Watchlist
EVERY NOVEMBER, hums of a projector fill Quezon City as an annual event lights up the movie screens. Keeping this tradition alive, QCinema returns this November 14 to 23 for its 13th year, showcasing over 80 films spanning a range of continents and genres. From screenings at your nearest Quezon City cinemas to affordable tickets […]
November 22, 2025
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Grieving for the living: Five Asian films that explore anticipatory grief
WHEN ILLNESS strikes a family, it rarely affects just one person. Loved ones quietly take on the role of caregivers, trying to stay strong and steady as they hold the household together. This setup, though, may be in contrast to many Asian families, where the diagnosis is often kept secret, out of love and not […]
November 6, 2025
“Gets ko na”: Sunshine (2024) breaks the silence around teenage pregnancy
DREAM BIG. That’s what we often tell young girls. But when those dreams are interrupted, where do they turn? At first glance, Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine (2024) seems like a typical coming-of-age film, following the high school rhythmic gymnast Sunshine (Maris Racal), who is admired for her poise and discipline. The story, however, takes a sobering […]
August 14, 2025
Saving the world is a family affair in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)
ONE QUIET evening, a family home is filled with rare peace. Then, a serendipitous discovery occurs: a couple learns they will finally be parents. By foregoing the typical cold open of ominous disasters or messy brawls, Matt Shakman’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) proves that the movie is first and foremost a story about […]
August 8, 2025
Four Pics, One Icon: Can you guess these leading ladies?
As we waltz our way into Women’s Month, we’re revisiting iconic female characters from beloved films and series, both local and overseas. From romcom sweethearts to action heroines, these leading ladies are easily recognizable from a mile away. Want to put your knowledge to the test? How many on-screen queens did you guess correctly? Share […]
March 20, 2025
Companion (2025) shows how robots are more human than men
AS HUMANS, we are psychologically wired with an intrinsic desire to be truly loved and seen in all of our complexities. A fleeting moment comes in our lives where we fantasize about a perfect friend—someone who listens with undivided attention, an ember-like soul tie who provides warmth and security—who can be the complete embodiment of […]
March 8, 2025
Vantage Magazine’s 2025 Oscars Picks
THE OSCARS, with its transformative influence on film, has presented astounding features in this year’s select few. From gritty stories of eccentric entertainers like Anora and Bob Dylan to the contrasting perspectives of a postwar survivor in The Brutalist and a powerful oligarch in The Apprentice, the Academy has once again reinforced its commitment to […]
March 2, 2025