Fantastica (2018 film)

Fantastica
Fantastica
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Barry Gonzalez
Screenplay by	Moira Lang; Danno Kristoper C. Mariquit; Daisy G. Cayanan; Fatrick Tabada;
Story by	Enrico C. Santos; Daisy G. Cayanan; Jonathan James A. Albano;
Produced by	Carlo Katigbak; Olivia Lamasan; Vic Del Rosario Jr.; Moira Lang;
Starring	Vice Ganda; Richard Gutierrez; Dingdong Dantes;
Cinematography	Anne Monzon
Edited by	Joyce Bernal (chief); Noah Tonga;
Music by	Emerzon Texon
Production; companies	ABS-CBN Film Productions; Viva Films;
Distributed by	Star Cinema;
Release date	December 25, 2018;
Running time	113 minutes
Country	Philippines
Language	Filipino
Box office	₱596 million

Fantastica is a 2018 Filipino fantasy comedy film directed by Barry Gonzales. It stars an ensemble cast including Vice Ganda, Bela Padilla, Richard Gutierrez, Jaclyn Jose, and Dingdong Dantes. Produced by Star Cinema and Viva Films, the film serves as an official entry to the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival.^[1] The film was released on December 25, 2018. It received mixed reviews from critics, praising the film's special effects but criticizing the lack of character development and some of the comedic scenes.^[2]

This also marked the last film appearance of comedian Chokoleit, who died after suffering a fatal heart attack in Bangued, Abra on March 9, 2019, at the age of 48.^[3]

Plot

Kleia Blythe, the proprietor of a struggling carnival named Perya Wurtzbach (a pun on Pia Wurtzbach), is tasked by a princess Sxia Blythe to find three princesses of the knight's land Fantastica. The princesses was warped to Earth separately, where the carnival’s crew must track them down to help save Fantastica, but eventually live regular lives there. But an evil spreads on Fantastica, and his rival Hannah Velax is on their throats. The mission's cover is to revive the carnival to lure the princesses.

Cast

Main cast

Vice Ganda as Belat Padilla / Princess Drilon^[4]
Richard Gutierrez as Prince Pryce
Dingdong Dantes as Dong Nam

Supporting cast

Bela Padilla as Fairy Godmother
Jaclyn Jose† as Perfecta "Fec" Padilla
Maymay Entrata as Princess Maulani
Edward Barber as Junjun Padilla
Loisa Andalio as Princess Rapunselya
Ronnie Alonte as Daks Padilla
Kisses Delavin as Princess Ariella
Donny Pangilinan as Pepe Padilla
Ryan Bang as Gang Nam
Milo as Boylet

Extended cast

MC Calaquian as Chubbylyn Jose
Lassy Marquez as Chakalyn Jose
Chokoleit† as Princess Beauty
Johnny Revilla as King Amarillo / King Ama
Angelika Mapanganib as Angry Bird
Joven Olvido

Special participation

Marian Rivera-Dantes (cameo appearance)
Sarah Lahbati (cameo appearance)
Zion Gutierrez as Boylet in human form
Jackque Gonzaga as Ate Girl
Gus Abelgas as the voice of the Fairy Godmother
Joshua Colet as young Prince Amarillo
Kira Balinger as young Fec
Marigona Dona Dragusha
Mary Jean Lastimosa
Atty. Jose Sison
El Gamma Penumbra

Reception

Critical response

While praise was directed at the film's use of special effects and its carnival setting, Vice Ganda's performance in Fantastica received mixed reviews from critics who viewed his continued reliance on insult comedy and innuendos as stale and repetitive.

Fantastica was released to mixed reviews from critics. Zsarlene B. Chua of BusinessWorld praised the opening sequence by El Gamma Penumbra, fourth wall-breaking jokes and the film's parodies of various drama films, but viewed Vice's continued reliance on insult comedy and innuendos as stale and repetitive, saying "The movie's premise and sheer starpower guarantee the film will be a blockbuster, but if you're expecting something new from Mr. Viceral's yearly MMFF entry, you're bound to be disappointed as it is more of the same: innuendos (which makes one question why it's rated PG) and his usual insult comedy." She did however conclude that "it's a feel-good if mind-numbing film for people who want to shut down and get a few laughs here and there."^[5]

John Magbanua of Bandera also gave the film a mixed review, praising the film's special effects and romantic pairings but was critical of the formulaic production and what he noted as censorship done presumably to make the film more family-friendly. Magbanua also noted that Fantastica could have incorporated more carnival elements to further justify the film's narrative.^[2]

Box office

It was announced by Star Cinema in a thanksgiving dinner organized for Fantastica, that the film became the highest grossing MMFF film which starred Vice Ganda. Fantastica earned ₱596 million with the figure including earnings from both domestic and international release of the film.^[6]

References

^ "MMFF announces first 4 movies for 2018 film festival". Rappler. August 2, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
^ ^a ^b Magbanua, Djan (December 27, 2018). "MMFF MOVIE REVIEW: Is 'Fantastica' really fantastic?". bandera.inquirer.net.
^ "Comedian Chokoleit dies". ABS-CBN Corporation News. March 10, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
^ Tabora, Regina (June 29, 2018). "Vice Ganda, pasok na sa MMFF 2018!". Retrieved December 26, 2018.
^ Charm, Neil (December 27, 2018). "An all-star cast in a film on the same old things | BusinessWorld". BusinessWorld.
^ Dumaual, Miguel (January 30, 2019). "'Fantastica' ends run as Vice Ganda's highest-grossing MMFF movie". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 5, 2019.

External links

Fantastica at IMDb

[1] "MMFF announces first 4 movies for 2018 film festival". Rappler. August 2, 2018. Retrieved December 25, 2018.

[Magbanua-2] Magbanua, Djan (December 27, 2018). "MMFF MOVIE REVIEW: Is 'Fantastica' really fantastic?". bandera.inquirer.net.

[3] "Comedian Chokoleit dies". ABS-CBN Corporation News. March 10, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2019.

[4] Tabora, Regina (June 29, 2018). "Vice Ganda, pasok na sa MMFF 2018!". Retrieved December 26, 2018.

[Charm-5] Charm, Neil (December 27, 2018). "An all-star cast in a film on the same old things | BusinessWorld". BusinessWorld.

[fantastica-6] Dumaual, Miguel (January 30, 2019). "'Fantastica' ends run as Vice Ganda's highest-grossing MMFF movie". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 5, 2019.

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