Cobweb review: A funny, dark film about making a film

Cobweb hits close to home.

It shows all the things that could possibly happen (and go wrong) in a film set. And while a lot of the things depicted in the film might come across as exaggerated, I assure you, everything is totally possible inside the four walls of a set during the many times I’ve been in one.

Cobweb is a 2023 South Korean film directed by Kim Jee-woon. Being meta in its essence, this dark comedy movie is about director Kim Yeol (played by Song Kang-ho), in the 1970s, and how he believed his film would be a masterpiece if only he could reshoot the ending before it premieres. But, as film production goes, not everything falls into place for director Kim with only less than two days to reshoot.

The movie in itself is light and easy to watch — with dark scenarios (both literally and figuratively) happening almost continuously which filled the theatre with cringing reactions (due to the mishaps happening in the film) and outbursts of laughter.

Without spoiling anything, Cobweb has multiple layers of different socioeconomic aspects if you want to dissect it. But it could also be taken lightly by just going for the ride of ups and downs in the life of a filmmaker.

For one, it shows how in film (or any industry for that matter) is totally challenging when you don’t have a solid team with the same vision. You’ll see director Kim having problems left and right due to his actors and other talents, his set, and even the producer — Mr. Baek (played by Shin Sung-pil) who is closely watching their every move.

Mr. Baek’s presence alone is like watching a sitcom in itself since the film crew didn’t really get approval to reshoot the ending of the film which resulted in them going rogue and shooting behind the back of the producer. This formula alone already lets you imagine scenes of the director and his crew sneaking about to try and shoot.

Another takeaway is seen from the role of Shin Mi-do played by Jeon Yeo-been who handles the financial aspect of the movie they’re making. She reads director Kim’s script with the tweaked ending and became a believer of the director’s vision. She’s basically the one who gave the go signal to shoot in secret just to pull off the film’s new ending. Cobweb shows that it only takes one person who believes in you to be able to pull off almost impossible feats, and I personally find that powerful.

There is also a story of redemption for the film’s director. He has been known to produce his debut film which was critically acclaimed by the audience but a series of flops shortly followed after. He thought that his film with a reshot ending would be “a masterpiece” and would break his pattern of shallow drama films.

Apart from those, there is also a film-within-a-film treatment in the form of the actual movie they’re making. It intercuts with the movie as a black and white film so as the audience, you witness all the hullabaloo happening behind the scenes and at the same time, see the final version as well. And during the climax of their movie with the ambitious camera treatment of a long scene taken in one continuous shot, you simply enjoy it further, and is quite a treat being able to see two parallel films in one timeline.

Cobweb is not without faults, though. I feel like some of the characters were unnecessary like the actor who plays detective which, for me, didn’t really add a lot to the pool of characters for the film. A few of the scenes seemed like scenarios were pushed hard for the effect of humor, but felt shallow in my opinion.

Still, it was successful in contrasting light, humorous scenes with dark, disastrous scenarios which made the film enjoyable as a narrative.

Cobweb opens in cinemas on October 4 and is produced by Anthology Studios and globally distributed by Barunson E&A, the same studio that produced Parasite. 

Cobweb is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by TBA Studios. The same company that brought award-winning films such as Everything Everywhere All At Once and the box-office romantic drama Past Lives to the Philippines.

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2024 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) highlights: All the launches, previews, and more

04/08/2024

The recently-concluded 2024 Manila International Auto Show has proven the vast and colorful landscape of the present motoring scene in the Philippines. More importantly, the two-venue, 3-day event is tangible evidence of the growing scene as more than a handful of vehicles, from cute EVs to macho pickups, were launched during the event.

Here’s a quick recap of what went down at the 2024 Manila International Auto Show

Car launches left, right, up, and down

With an increased number of brands participating in 2024 MIAS, there was no shortage of car launches. Vehicles in all shapes and sizes and for all kinds of personalities were introduced during the event and here are some of the highlights from each brand.

GAC

It’s easy enough to say that the Emkoo Hybrid was the scene-stealer for GAC. After launching its non-EV counterpart at the previous MIAS, GAC follows suit with introducing the electrified version at this year’s event. No official pricing but it’s set to officially launch in June.

Hyundai

Another one of the bells at this ball, Hyundai drew in large crowds as they finally brought in its high-performance Hyundai N brand to the Philippines. First to arrive, in eye-catching Performance Blue, are the Hyundai Elantra N and the award-winning and first all-electric N model, the IONIQ 5 N

MG

MG wowed eventgoers with an impressive display of vehicles — the most during the event.

 

On the show floor was a mix of the brand’s current and upcoming models, both gas and EV. Included in the lineup are the MG3 hatchback, MG7 Cyberster, MG RX9 crossover, MG G50 MPV, and finally, the MG Mifa 9 EV.

 

In addition to its current and upcoming lineup, MG also surprised the crowd with the introduction of its new high-end brand to the Philippines, IM. With this reveal, the company also announced the IM LS7 as its first offering with an indicative pricing of about PhP 4M.

JAC Motors

A new player on the field, JAC Motors enters the Philippine market with a 6-model lineup at the 2024 MIAS. The showcased vehicles included the JS4, JS6, T8 Pro, T9, and the crowd-favorite JS8 Pro. Alongside its gas-powered vehicles, JAC also previewed its compact city EV, the Ytterby. No official pricing on its newly launched vehicles but the company was able to give estimates, most under PhP 2M.

JMC

JMC Philippines formally launched two exciting models: the JMC Grand Avenue and the JMC Vigus.

The Grand Avenue, offered in four variants and starts at PhP 1.2M, is the biggest in its class and is equipped with one of the mightiest engines in its segment. The Vigus pickup truck is poised as JMC Philippines’ value-for-money model (starts at PhP 959,000) as it’s a versatile and fuel-efficient daily driver.

GWM

GWM Philippines used the 2024 MIAS to showcase its various sub-brands. Highlights include the GWM Ora 03 EV, known as the “Good Cat,” an electric hatchback blending retro styling (starts at PhP 1.288 million and is similar-looking to the Ytterby), and the GWM WEY Gaoshan plug-in hybrid Luxury Minivan.

BAIC

BAIC Philippines made a strong return to the country with an impressive array of vehicles showcased at the Manila International Auto Show.

It unveiled the BAIC X5 Verve (PhP 1,348,000), a compact SUV designed, the BAIC X7 Grandeza (PhP 1,648,000), a midsize SUV, BAIC Series 40 Ragnar (PhP 1,648,000), a rugged pickup truck,  BAIC B60 Beaumont (PhP 3,180,000), a stylish crossover with tech-savvy features, and the BAIC Series 80 Wagon (PhP 4,398,000), BAIC’s flagship model, boasts luxurious Nappa leather seats, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 gas engine.

Lynk & Co

Another fresh face on the scene and product of a Geely/Volvo partnership,  Lynk & Co debuted in the Philippine market with an enticing lineup. Highly distinguishable, Lynk & Co’s vehicles put importance on design just as much as performance.

The Lynk & Co 06, starting at PhP 1.488 million, offers features like a 540-degree camera and adaptive cruise control. The Lynk & Co 01, priced at PhP2.338 million, stands out with its Volvo-derived platform and plug-in hybrid system while the Lynk & Co 05, priced at PhP2.588 million, boasts a powerful 2.0TD T5 engine.

Nissan

Nissan had a full lineup on display but what stole the show was the preview of the all-electric Nissan Ariya.

This all-electric crossover comes complete with a futuristic design, advanced technology, and impressive range. Although exact pricing details weren’t disclosed, Nissan positions the Ariya as a game-changer in the EV segment.

Changan

There weren’t many surprises at the Changan booth given the company already announced the official price and details of its new and affordable CS15 ahead of launch. Showgoers still crowded the new vehicle that stood alongside the brand’s current offerings.

Subaru

Subaru Philippines unveiled three models at MIAS: the rugged Subaru Outback XT Touring (PhP2.598 million), and the updated Subaru Crosstrek GT Edition (PhP1.888 million). The company also previewed its current offerings fitted with dress-up kits. On the show floor were the BRZ STI Edition, WRX GT Edition, and Forester GT Wild Edition.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi showed off its familiarity with the Philippine market offering vehicles catering to various needs and preferences of locals.

On the show floor are the Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck (starts at PhP 1,498,000), the family-friendly Mitsubishi Xpander MPV (PhP 1,008,000), the family-friendly Mirage G4 sedan (PhP 769,000), and the Mitsubishi L300, starting at PhP 804,000.

Omoda/Jaecoo

Omoda & Jaecoo Philippines has been around for a while but officially debuts its vehicles at MIAS: the Omoda 5 (starts at under PhP 1.4 million), a sleek model powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine, and the Omoda E5 EV with a range of up to 450 km.

Alongside Omoda, Jaecoo presented two crossover SUVs: the luxury Jaecoo 8 with a robust 2.0-liter turbocharged engine delivering 249 hp, and the Jaecoo 7 engineered for challenging terrain with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine.

Jetour

Jetour debuted two models: T2 SUV and the Dashing PHEV.

The Jetour T2 SUV comes out of the gate with a starting price of PhP 2.498 million for the standard T2 Beyond variant and PhP 2.598 million for the top-spec T2 Terrain. Powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and Jetour XWD system, it offers advanced features like a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Meanwhile, the Jetour Dashing PHEV features a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine paired with electric motors, offering a range of up to 100 km. Limited to only 10 units, it comes with an introductory price of PhP 1.95 million.

Hycan

Hycan is yet another new face in the industry and is a Chinese EV brand established by GAC and Pearl River Investment Management Group, which debuted in the Philippines under Transcorp.

Making its public debut at MIAS 2024, Hycan officially launched its electric vehicles in the Philippine market including the luxury MPV Hycan V09 priced at PhP 3,788,000, offering a range of 620 kilometers, nappa leather seats, and a dual-pane moonroof.

Also on the floor was the Hycan A06+ sedan priced at PhP 1,788,000. It features a cruising range of 520 kilometers, full LED lighting, and Bongiovi Master Audio tuning. Finally, Hycan also previewed the Z03 compact SUV though specific details and local pricing have yet to be revealed.

Seres

To say that the Philippines is short on EV choices is now a definitively untrue statement. EV brand Seres also makes its debut at the 2024 MIAS previewing a total of 4 electric vehicles: The Seres 5, Seres 4 EREV, Seres 7 EREV, and Seres E5 PHEV.

Pricing and availability have to be disclosed though we heard a June launch may be happening. As to which will first launch is still in the dark.

What else happened at the 2024 MIAS?

While the highlights of the show were the new and upcoming vehicles, the Manila International Auto Show provided several activities, entertainment, and even shopping to give its guests a great time at the event.

For the first time, MIAS was held at two venues this year: World Trade Center and SMX Convention Center. This gave eventgoers a chance to test out new city shuttles from Foton who provided free transportation between the event venues. Amidst all the launches and previews were a slew of after-market goodies and services as well. Vinyl Frog provided a live vinyl wrapping session, for example. There was also a 3-door Jimny souped-up with JBL Car Audio devices that guests could enter and experience. Russ Swift, quite a staple at MIAS, also returns with an adrenaline-inducing stunt show.

Tiny homes and trailers were on display as well. Overland Kings even partnered with Nissan to revamp an Urvan for car camping and travel. Classic and custom cars are also littered around the event as well as toys, goodies, and even e-SIM racing.

The 2024 Manila International Auto Show was the biggest the event has ever been with more than 20 major car exhibitors present.

 

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