Ang tanging ina

I don't usually see Filipino films, except those I've already seen when I was a kid (like "Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa.") This one though, I did like. It's very funny. The kid actors and kid actresses were superb. The storyline goes from comedy to drama to comedy. I absolutely love it. Ai Ai Delas Alas is an excellent mother, and the kids were very adorable. If you like watching family comedy, this it the best Filipino family comedy I've ever seen. There's the gay son, the little kids, the daughter with the crush... SOOOO hilarious. MUST SEE if you're a Filipino! Heck, even if you're not Filipino, this is a MUST SEE... if only the DVD has an English subtitle in it... Anyways, the story plot is simple but touching. And the comedy in it is JUST SUPERB. Really, definitely a MUST SEE.

despite the unbelievable situation, with 3 husbands dying, it's a corny set-up. however, the comedic instances were actually pretty funny. I may be biased, because I think Ai-Ai de las Alas is funny as hell, but she looked and sounded to be in her element, utilizing a subtle, light comedic beat. the other scenes were quite raw, using too many fast forwards and jump cuts, less can actually be more. the other supporting actors were ok, some were solid, some were effective, the rest were just wallflowers. a solid effort overall, I normally do not like most filipino comedies, the ones I've seen were overly corny and too ambitious, but subtle comedies like this exhibit a good example of the filipino camp comedy genre

The greatest thing about this film is the message of making teenagers understand the importance of a mother and what they have to go through to raise their own children. At least you will learn something here. Ai Ai delas Alas played her role really well here. Probably her best film. She really deserved winning best actress at the Metro Manila Film Festival 2003. All her twelve children were also excellent: Jiro Manio, Heart Evangelista, Carlo Aquino and Nikki Valdez were excellent. Also her homosexual son did a great job playing his role. It is a comedy combined with emotional scenes. This keeps the story from being boring. I would of course recommend this to everybody who like drama and comedy combined in one.

Motherhood. It is the main topic tackled in the film, and for me, it was well-executed. They also executed very well on telling the story of a mother's hardships and sacrifices in life for her family to have a better future.

But seeing this kind of story-line in a comedy genre, well... it didn't fail to amaze me. Thankfully, the cast did well in cracking jokes that are humorous and witty.

The cinematography was good. The musical score was fine. The screenplay was good.

This is one of my favorite films by the late Wenn V. Deramas, the film director of this project.

The frenetic Ai Ai Delas Alas plays Ina, a mother of 12 who has had a variety of jobs to provide for her children. She becomes a chambermaid with her best friend Rowena and gets to know the Madam President if the Phillipines. She finds out the Vice President is going to have the president assassinated, tries to warn the president at an outside speech and the president gets shot. She shows the proof of the VP's conspiracy and, in a snap election, becomes President..and its a comedy! Ai Ai Delas Alas is like Lucille Ball on hyper drive, and she is a star in the Phillipines, rightfully so. She carries this improbable premise very well, you just love her. Her facial expressions here and there remind me of the great Hong Kong actress Sandra Ng, they express everything. There's even a bold part of this in which one of her sons is gay and invites a stir. You're not really supposed to take most of this seriously, so if you know that going in, you should able to enjoy this slightly crazy but ultimately watchable film.