Viva Films' "Hello Universe' - the first mainstream movie to be directed by heartthrob Xian Lim - earned positive reviews from the press after its Red Carpet Premiere Night at SM Megamall Cinema 2 last Monday. It is presently being shown in 140 theaters nationwide.
"Kudos to the director for the seamless editing. The technical side is also ok. The cast looked like they were naturally having fun, which is good," commented a showbiz writer who preferred anonymity.
There are many Filipino elements in the movie that Pinoys can relate to, such as the love for coffee and close family bonding. But the most obvious is basketball. Fans get the treat of reminiscing the past with hoop legends like Benjie Paras, Mark Andaya, Jerry Codiñera, Allan Caidic and EJ Feihl . In the movie, the lead star Janno Gibbs plays the role of a basketball coach who gets to be in an alternate universe.
They say comedy is all about good timing, and Janno plays it well without overacting. His chemistry with sparring partner Anjo Yllana is spot-on. It's amazing that these two actors never seem to have aged. We are looking forward to more of their tandem.
The lead stars get their much-needed boost from lovely beauties Maui Taylor and Sunshine Guimary. MJ Cayabyab, Joe Vargas,Gene Padilla, Gino Ilustre and the other cast members also get to show their talent for comedy. A bonus for the fans is Xian appearing in a funny cameo role in the film and you just have to look for it.
Overall, " Hello Universe" is a heartwarming film that's meant to make the audience laugh. At the same time, it serves some important lessons about being content with the essential things in life because it's what brings you success in the end.
"I'm truly grateful to all the people who stuck with me and the whole vision of this film. Parang buhay lang din talaga. People will come and go. Some will disagree with how you do things, they will not walk along the path with you and it's okay because there will be some who will remain and fight alongside with you to achieve the goal and finish the objective," Xian stated in his Instagram story.