Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan, 2023
Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan or Mama Susan’s Friends in the English translation is a Philippine thriller and horror movie from Bob Ong’s mystery novel of 2010 of similar name by director Chito S. Roño with the writer Bob Ong. It stars Angie Ferro as her final movie before she passed away on 17th of August, 2023.
The Cast Lists
Joshua Garcia performed as Galo: He’s a student in one unidentified college based in Manila, dwelling an ordinary living under his aunt’s care.
Vangie Labalan performed as Aling Delia: A right-hand lady for Mama Susan.
Melissa Mendez performed as Tiya Auring: Sister of the mom of Galo and Galo’s main guardian.
Ricky Davao performed as Tiyo Dindo: Husband of Auring and uncle of Galo who secretly assists Galo in his tuition fees.
Angie Ferro performed as Mama Susan: Grandmother of Galo and a religious group leader in their province.
Liya Sarmiento performed as Vegetable gardener/vendor
Archi Adamos performed as Fisherman
Mon Confiado performed as Boat banker
Menggie Cobarrubias performed as Dean
Yñigo Delen performed as Niko
Sarah Edwards performed as Andrea
Jewel Milag performed as Jezel
Henz Villaraiz performed as Roy
Rhed Bustamante performed as Sheryl
Soliman Cruz performed as Mang Narcing
Alex Cortez performed as Woodcutter
Dexter Doria performed as Mrs. Lao
Rolando Inocencio performed as the Priest
Kelvin Miranda performed as Louie
Patrick Quiroz performed as Jovit
Story Outline
The story followed the life style of “Galo” Gilberto Manansala, the student from Manila, by his journal entries evidently as a school project. In his journal, Galo chose to record the creepy encounters he felt in the house of his grandmother and this grandmother is the one he named as Mama Susan.
The terror starts when Galo go back to the province to watch over his Mama Susan. And since he is so curious, he started seeing odd things and hearing some creepy footsteps.
All together with the kids Jezel and Niko, Galo starts to discover the secrets surrounding the community and the role of his grandmother in the cult.
Writer’s Observation
If you are a Filipino, you will seldom like Filipino their horror movie due to the prosthetics, pointless sci-fi-appearing animated effects, dozens of loopholes and predictable storylines. This movie is quite an opposite of the rest. Most of the Filipinos are Catholics that is why they are into sacred figurines so you’ll expect so many biased criticisms and raised eyebrows about it.
A big factor of the movie has, why it’s a nice horror movie is after you have watch it will then still make you consider about it, the scenes and the story will keep chasing you. Another thing will be the movie does not depend on the gore or the cheesy jump scares. Getting you surprised isn’t horror and getting you disgusted isn’t horror as well. The actual horror is that you are afraid of something that you do not understand, and that something that does not make any sense of scares to you. That thing you imagine during that time that you feel those creeps in the evening, and this film very really understands it. One joke will lose their potency when you’re explaining why it is funny. It is similar with horror, when you explain stuffs too much; then, it will lose their potency. This movie did not attempt to explain itself, just like how those nightmares of yours works in the real life.
