100 Tula Para Kay Stella (lit. '100 Poems for Stella') is a 2017 Philippine romantic film written and directed by Jason Paul Laxamana. Starring Bela Padilla and JC Santos, the film revolves around a college student who tries to create 100 poems which are dedicated to Stella, a woman who aspires to become a well-known rock star.
| 100 Tula Para Kay Stella | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jason Paul Laxamana |
| Written by | Jason Paul Laxamana |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Rommel Sales |
| Edited by | Mai Calapardo |
| Music by | Paulo Protacio |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Viva Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Philippines |
| Language | Filipino |
| Box office | ₱100 million[1] |
Produced and distributed by Viva Films, the film was theatrically released on August 16, 2017, as part of the 1st Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. In 2024, the sequel has been officially announced entitled 100 Awit Para kay Stella.[2]
Synopsis
editIn 2004, Fidel Lansangan (JC Santos) and Stella Puno (Bela Padilla) meet each other as freshmen college students in Pampanga pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology. They became friends despite differences in their personalities; Fidel is an honor student with a speech impediment and loves poetry while Stella is a rocker with a tough and confident attitude who prefers to jam with her band rather than to do her studies.[3]
Fidel begins to write poems to express his love to Stella but does not have the confidence to read these to her. Stella on her had various boyfriends as she pursues her goal of securing a recording contract. The film's story spans for four whole years of Fidel and Stella's college life and revolves around the question whether Fidel can muster enough confidence to read his poems to Stella.[3][4]
Cast
edit
- Bela Padilla as Stella Puno
- JC Santos as Fidel Lansangan
- Mayton Eugenio as Danica
- Caleb Santos as Von
- Prince Stefan as Chuck
- Ana Abad Santos as Ms. Bardozo
- Dennis Padilla as Fidel's Dad
Production
edit100 Tula Para Kay Stella was produced under Viva Films. Jason Paul Laxamana served as both the writer and director of the film. The story of the film was inspired from Laxamana's own life experiences. The script was already finished as early as 2015 when principal photography of the film began.[5]
Release
editThe film had a theatrical release in the Philippines on August 16, 2017, as one of the twelve official entries at the 2017 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. The film was given a Parental Guidance (PG) rating by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.[7]
Reception
editBox office
edit100 Tula Para Kay Stella garnered millions worth of box office on its opening day on August 16, 2017. By August 18, the film is reportedly the leading film among the twelve entries at the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino in terms of box office returns.[8] Viva Films stated on August 21, 2017, that the film has grossed ₱80 million.[9]
Critical reception
editThe film was given an "A" rating by the Cinema Evaluation Board.[5]
Fred Hawson in a review published in ABS-CBN News rates the film 6 out of 10. He writes that people expecting for a "lighthearted funny romp" will have their expectation challenged as he finds the film heavy to watch saying that the audience would feel the frustration and pain of the two protagonists of the film. He also expressed his opinion that actual teenagers could have portrayed the lead roles as he finds it "difficult to accept" Santos and Padilla portraying characters who are 17 years old and described their face as "unmistakably more mature" than actual teenagers. He described 100 Tula Para Kay Stella as a "gender switched" version of another film, I'm Drunk, I Love You. He particularly praised the portrayal of Ana Abad Santos for her role as Ms. Bardozo, Fidel and Stella's English teacher. He also acknowledge the efforts of the production designer for their work in the film set some decades ago from the film's release.[3]
Soundtrack
editThe 2004 hit "Balisong" was recorded by The Juans and served as the theme song of the film. It was originally recorded by Filipino rock band Rivermaya from their 2003 album Between the Stars and Waves.[10]
Sequel
editIn January 2020 direct Jason Paul Laxamana confirmed and announced that 100 Tula Para Kay Stella is having a sequel.[11] On October 7, 2024, plans for the a sequel was affirmed with the upcoming film given the title 100 Awit Para Kay Stella with Padilla and Santos reprising their roles.[12]
References
edit- ^ "100 Tula Para Kay Stella earns 100 million". August 23, 2017. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2017 – via Instagram.
- ^ "Bela Padilla, JC Santos to reunite for '100 Awit Para Kay Stella'". October 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c Hawson, Fred (August 18, 2017). "Movie review: '100 Tula Para Kay Stella' resonates with millennials". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ De la Pena, Ayessa (August 17, 2017). "'100 Tula Para Kay Stella' Will Make You Feel, Break, and Want to Risk It All for Love". Candy. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ a b Gabinete, Jojo (August 16, 2017). "Bela Padilla, brutal, baboy ang bibig as Stella!" [Bela Padilla has a brutal and dirty mouth as Stella!]. Abante (in Filipino). Archived from the original on August 21, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ Solis, Lolit (August 16, 2017). "Nakapanood ng pelikula nina JC at Bela grabe ang reaction" [The reaction of those who watched the film of JC and Bela were big]. Pang-Masa (in Filipino). Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ Padayhag, Michelle Joy (August 13, 2017). "JC Santos, Bela Padilla and 100 poems for Stella". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
- ^ Solis, Lolit (August 17, 2017). "Stella... pinakamabenta sa PPP!". Philstar.com. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ "Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino entries earn P127 million in six days; three entries get regular run". PEP.ph. August 22, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2018.
100 Tula Para Kay Stella, starring JC Santos and Bela Padilla, has grossed P80 million as of August 21, according to Viva Films.
- ^ "Balisong - Theme Song (From "100 Tula Para Kay Stella") - Single by the Juans". iTunes. March 15, 2019.
- ^ Hallare, Katrina (January 29, 2020). "'100 Tula Para Kay Stella' to get a sequel". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Sequel to '100 Tula Para Kay Stella' confirmed, titled '100 Awit Para Kay Stella'". The Global Filipino Magazine. October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.