the audience applauded

Sadly Over-hyped

Fantastic!

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

SPOILERS AHEAD! SPOILERS AHEAD! SPOILERS AHEAD! "Purok 7 takes us through the day-to-day life of two siblings, Diana and Julian, in a rural town called Purok 7 amidst the vast fields and its beautiful sceneries. A very sad news about their mother who works abroad, however, will take them–as well as the whole village–by storm.It takes a village to raise a childWe saw how the whole neighborhood of Purok 7 treated Julian and Diana with fondness and empathy, knowing their mother's execution in China is looming around the corner. Remember that scene where Julian tries to sell the frogs they caught in a pond in the fields so they can go to the fair? And the adults, upon learning where he would spend the money, jumped right away to buy his frog meat? That was very endearing. I also really liked how the character of Arlene, their father's mistress, was painted in the movie. She was a person full of compassion and sincerity as she tries to win the hearts of Julian and Diana.Going there and back againThere were several beautiful shots of Diana and Julian's long walks going to the town proper and back home, but the sweet conversations in between are what make those scenes truly charming. Those long-walk scenes encapsulate the perfect tandem of Diana and Julian as loving brothers and sisters–she who stepped up to the plate while their mother is gone and showered her little brother with lots of tender loving care; and he who looked up to her big sister and sought her for answers to his 'big life questions' as the world around him unfolds before his innocent eyes.RevelationsI also loved how revelations in the movie were made through subtle hints. That scene where Diana and Ogie dined at an eatery after their meeting with the Mayor, and we didn't know they were trying to choke back a sob until tears eventually rolled down their faces, was precious. They were supposed to go to Manila, right? That's why they were at the Mayor's office. But why didn't they push through? Perhaps they've been told the Philippine government lost their bid to halt the execution? We were not told about this, but Diana and Ogie crying while they sat at the dining table says it all.The catterpilar rideThe movie ends with Diana, Jeremy and Julian on a catterpillar ride at the fair while a voice-over of a news reporter confirms the execution of their mother. I'm not really sure what to make of it. Was it supposed to tell us that the siblings were unaware all this was happening while they enjoy a catterpilar ride? Then again maybe, it shows us that life goes on for them after this very dark chapter. After all, at the end of the movie, we saw Diana wave back at Arlene from the catterpillar which gives us a hint that Diana has eventually accepted Arlene into her life.Overall, I can say that the movie was deserving of an hour and a half of my undivided attention. The actors portrayed their characters really well especially Krystle Valentino as Diana. I'm not too savvy about the technical aspects of filmmaking, but I would like to commend the breathtaking, almost dream-like shots of the rural landscapes. The color pallete and the musical score should be commended as well for they effectively capture the overall feel of the movie: simple, raw, and poignant.