At first, I was really drawn with the film's use of magic realism and its elements thereof (as I've seen the full trailer of Ulan during a Captain Marvel screening last week) but it regrettably fell short of my expectations. Importanty, it misses the point of such a genre and unlike its Latin American literary counterparts, it does nothing more but pick up bits and pieces of magic realism. For starters, it could've made a clearer and more consistent critique on Maya's upbringing and other sociological matters in the film in relation to her grandmother's stories. But this was sidetracked and the film morphed into a failed love story redundantly masquerading as a slice of life. Even with the limited elements present, the film and its use of Filipino folklore is utterly stale, underdeveloped and two-dimensional. At best, it tries to intrigue the viewer of these local fables and their mythical origins but it nevertheless falls short on the execution-it gets confusing at times and lacks a coherent plot, conflict, and ending. Nevertheless, I would still credit the producers for attempting to introduce a lesser-known genre in the local film industry and if there's anything I can praise the film for, it is perhaps its cinematography and excellent use of wide shots. P.S. I found Maya's interactions with her boss at the publishing house corny at best and cringy at worst, particularly with the boss' redundant sexual innuendos and borderline creepy statements, such as his joke that Maya was taking him out on a date. It didn't help that her boss was twice her age and married.