The difference between Sherwin (Arnold Reyes) and Paolo (Oliver Aquino) form the dramatic backbone of Joselito Altarejos'Kasal (MahusayKolektib, 2014). It is not just that they disagree about gay marriage, or that Paolo is more assertive than Sherwin, who dislikes drawing attention to himself. Their arguments, affectionate but intense reflect contrasting personalities and the friction is what makes them such an interesting couple. Each one, without quite saying so, is grappling with basic questions about love and identity. What can I mean to another person? Whom do I want to be with? Who do I want to be? The longer you spend inside Kasal, the more it seem apparent. Reyes and Aquino are, of course, incredibly attractive people who, despite their characters’ hang-ups and foibles, are approachable and easy to watch. The recitation of physical acts creates both immediacy and distance, it can be more embarrassing to talk about some things than to do them which is part of Paolo’s intention. A less brave, less honest movie would hasten to provide answers, assuming that the lovers require promises and that the audience needs reassurance. Kasal, which is about the risks and pleasures of opening up emotionally in the presence of another, remains true to the unsettled, open-ended nature of the experience it documents. And for exactly this reason because Altarejos avoids the easy payoff of either a happy or a tragic ending, Kasal is one of the most satisfying love stories you are likely to see.
Because the film was shot on digital video, some contrast and clarity fluctuations are occasionally present. The majority of the close-ups, however, convey pleasing depth. Most of the outdoor footage is also relatively crisp. Colors are stable, but during the nighttime sequences the blacks and browns look a bit soft. This softness, however, is a source limitation, not a transfer weakness. Overall, compression is better here, but once again I noticed some extremely light banding. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. Considering that Kasal is primarily a dialog-driven feature, the fact that the soundtrack's dynamic range is fairly limited isn't surprising. Only during the party scenes there is some notable dynamic movement, but the film's sound design is indeed very modest. The dialog is clean and stable. What separates Altarejos'Kasal from other similarly themed films is its genuine sincerity. But I think that most viewers will appreciate the fact that the film does not rely on old cliches to deliver its message.