The characters: Shane (Kaye Abad) who has just celebrated her 39th birthday in a karaoke bar with her husband Bryan (Paolo Contis) and their best friend Kristoff (Patrick Garcia) a famous TV actor. Bryan works as Kristoff's manager and Shane runs a pastry shop with her mother. The three have been best friends since elementary school and friendship has stood the passage of time.
Shane is a breast cancer survivor. Shortly after her birthday she is informed by her oncologist that cancer has returned, although is still potentially amenable to treatment. Instead of going again through the ordeal of chemotherapy and radiation, Shane decides not to seek treatment to the dismay of Bryan and Kristoff. Instead she compiles a list (that he calls her "magic list") of what she would like to experience during the time left to her. The list includes revisiting the place of her first date with Bryan, seeing penguins, doing snorkeling and, by Bryan's suggestion, attempting to connect with her absent father (whom she refers to as Mr. T) whose whereabouts are unknown.
A script like this inevitably brings to mind several recent movies, but this one stands on its own. The plot is carried along by Abad's considerable charisma and the easy, natural chemistry between the three lead actors. They had already been together playing best friends in Tabing ilog (Riverside), a wildly successful Philipine TV series that aired between 1999 and 2003 and became sort of a cult classic Another positive is the light touch (tinged with humor) that the director applies to the tale even in dramatic scenes, which saves the movie from becoming a soap opera. Conversely, there are funny scenes, such as one involving the popular Filipino singer Ogie Alcasid playing himself, where sadness is ever present in the background. There is no preaching but the tale has implications on love, friendship and the value of the quest even if it does not attain its objective. I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end.
Shane is a breast cancer survivor. Shortly after her birthday she is informed by her oncologist that cancer has returned, although is still potentially amenable to treatment. Instead of going again through the ordeal of chemotherapy and radiation, Shane decides not to seek treatment to the dismay of Bryan and Kristoff. Instead she compiles a list (that he calls her "magic list") of what she would like to experience during the time left to her. The list includes revisiting the place of her first date with Bryan, seeing penguins, doing snorkeling and, by Bryan's suggestion, attempting to connect with her absent father (whom she refers to as Mr. T) whose whereabouts are unknown.
A script like this inevitably brings to mind several recent movies, but this one stands on its own. The plot is carried along by Abad's considerable charisma and the easy, natural chemistry between the three lead actors. They had already been together playing best friends in Tabing ilog (Riverside), a wildly successful Philipine TV series that aired between 1999 and 2003 and became sort of a cult classic Another positive is the light touch (tinged with humor) that the director applies to the tale even in dramatic scenes, which saves the movie from becoming a soap opera. Conversely, there are funny scenes, such as one involving the popular Filipino singer Ogie Alcasid playing himself, where sadness is ever present in the background. There is no preaching but the tale has implications on love, friendship and the value of the quest even if it does not attain its objective. I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end.
