Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles vs. A Secret Affair

I'd recommend TIKTIK for your money (its better seen in theaters).I liked it more so it gets a picture in this post. 

I watched A Secret Affair last week with a friend, and I mentioned that I enjoyed Tiktik and her reaction was like, "What?! Well, I don't like it" even if she hasn't watched it. I didn't argue further because our tastes differ and I would say that too to her wanting to watch the other movie. I saw the trailer, it just wasn't my thing (I prefer action to romance). Now that I watched Affair, I think it is a good movie for its genre. Two different movies and stories, so there would be no point in comparing the two or deciding which is better. Let's not delve into that "What I like is better than what you like" attitude, they're just films.

I can relate more to the local people and monstrous aswangs in Tiktik than the bitchy socialites fighting over a guy in Affair. The first is set in a remote rural area with houses built far apart, the second is in a crammed high-end city of posh restos and classy condos. The first is about a guy (Makoy/Dingdong Dantes) trying to woo back his pregnant girlfriend (Sonia/Lovi Poe), and deal with the legion of monsters who happen to live nearby. The second is a love triangle of Very Rich People: a renowned chef (Anton/Derek Ramsey), a stylist (Rafi/Anne Curtis), and the spoiled, jobless daughter of a company tycoon (Sam/Andi Eigenmann). 

There was a lot of sex in Affair, too much it was irritating. Sam is jobless and does not have much to do with her life than stalk Anton and blackmail him to be with her instead of his fiance. Its also funny that she reads Rafi's twitter to know where Anton is and she just shows up. That's creepy. Ah, the problems of the rich. *Spoiler*: I liked the sassy, smart-ass-ness of Rafi in this movie. In the end, she says a final NO to her ex: she deserves better. Also, Anton mentioned "casual hookups" many times I cringe to hear the phrase. Sam simply wants to be more than friends-with-benefits, she also deserves better.

One thing I noticed that the dialogue in Affair is mostly in English, its almost an English movie. I've never heard people actually talk like that. I think Tiktik is a very Pinoy movie, the house where most of the story happens is a typical Filipino home familiar to us. The well-designed mansions and even the well-designed clothes in Affair was alienating to me. Tiktik uses familiar items (like those giant wooden spoon and fork) and product placements (Boy Bawang, Lipps candy, Gran Matador) in a witty and fresh manner. 

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What I liked about Tiktik: 

1. My favorite thing about this movie is the use of Ilonggo folklore and beliefs about aswangs, as the director said was his main inspiration. 

2.  Roi Vinzon, Ramon Bautista, Joey Marquez, the aswangs, all of them were good, in my opinion. 

3. Buntot Pagi or Stingray Tail is my new weapon of choice. Move over, samurai swords.