Jomari Yllana Movies
A woman who falls under the sway of a crime boss plots to bring him down after a horrible betrayal in this drama from the Philippines. Azun (Elizabeth Oropesa) is a wife and mother living in a dangerous neighborhood in Manila, where she peddles goods on the street. Azun's husband Roque (Bembol Roco) becomes involved in a burglary that goes awry, leading to a lengthy jail sentence. With few options, and needing safety and support, Azun becomes involved with Timo (Christopher De Leon), leader of a local crime syndicate. But Timo's protection does not extend to Azun's teenage daughter Ada (Angelu De Leon); Timo rapes Ada, then forces her to leave her boyfriend (Jomari Yllana) and start dancing in his strip club. When Azun learns what Timo has done to Ada, she makes plans to get her revenge. Christopher De Leon's performance as Timo earned him Best Actor honors at the 1999 Metro Manila Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christopher De Leon, Jomari Yllana, (more)
- 1998
The Philippines' most cerebral filmmaker, Marilou Diaz-Abaya, ventures into the realm of instinct and emotion in this unusual story about a male midwife. In a remote fishing village during the American occupation, young Pepito grows up with no choice but to learn the trade of his mother, despite obvious embarrassment and prejudices. The real test of maturity comes when he ventures from the island (the nest, the navel) to the mainland (the real world). The script, which won the prestigious literary award Palanca, relies heavily on first-person narration to give the film a lyrical tone which, at times, lets the narration do the work of telling the story. However, Diaz-Abaya manages to get outstanding performances from her actors with her economical, understated direction. Despite its rather slow pace, In the Navel of the Sea is an important film for the career of Diaz-Abaya, reflecting her determination to seek the challenge of new directions. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jomari Yllana, Elizabeth Oropesa, (more)
- 1997
A couple experiences first love in this romantic Filipino film. While appearing in a perfume commercial, teen Jessica del Mundo (Giselle Toengi) is attracted to Gerard (Jomari Yllana). Friends are concerned when the two become obsessed with each other. They separate, yet they are haunted by continual TV repeats of the perfume commercial. Its romantic slant makes them more and more miserable. Then, remarkably, they are both scheduled to reshoot a new scene for the commercial, and the possibility of a reunion looms. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jomari Yllana, Giselle Toengi, (more)
