3 Movies Like Descendants 2 (2017)

Staff & contributors

It's uncanny how innocent love can resemble stalking and obsessiveness. We first see Lea’s (Alessandra de Rossi) perspective as she meets funny-man and friendly neighbor Tonyo (Empoy Marquez) out of the blue. Later, we see Tonyo’s perspective and follow his pathetic journey through the heartbreak that led to him shadowing and eventually speaking to Lea. By the time we see both perspectives, it’s too late to judge the surprising events that unfold. The premise seems simple: it follows a relationship that feels comically wrong as it involves a temporarily blind woman and a man who only develops his confidence from not being seen. But it comes alive thanks to the playful chemistry and casting of de Rossi and Marquez, who charm in this brilliantly self-aware Pinoy rom-com.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Actor: Alessandra de Rossi, Carolle Urbano, Empoy Marquez, Junpei Yamamoto

Director: Sigrid Andrea Bernardo

There are plenty of submarine thrillers that work in the present, but when it comes to the genre, the most memorable stories are set during the Cold War, where major superpowers made as much advances in tech as they can without bringing war to the world. The Silent Service depicts an alternate history, where, tired of both the U.S. and Japan, making underhanded moves against each other in their supposed alliance, one submarine captain commits mutiny to declare his nuclear submarine as one nation. Amazon Prime has expanded the film into an eight episode show, which gives much more detail to the sub battles, tech, and underwater escapades. However, because of focusing too much on the step-by-step events, The Silent Service loses sight of the thrilling and terrifying potential of having one crew being in control of nuclear weapons in an undetectable, high-tech submarine that can go anywhere.

Genre: Drama, War, War & Politics

Actor: Aleks Paunovic, Aoi Nakamura, Asami Mizukawa, Aya Ueto, Hiroshi Tamaki, Isao Hashizume, Kou Maehara, Koudai Matsuoka, Takao Osawa, Takashi Sasano, Tao Okamoto, Tomoya Nakamura, Toru Tezuka, Yoshi Sakou, Yosuke Eguchi, Yui Natsukawa, Yusuke Santamaria

Director: Kohei Yoshino

Nobody should doubt Tatiana Suarez's place in the world of mixed martial arts, and it goes without saying how inspirational she can be to young girls who feel they don't fit a traditionally feminine mold. But a documentary really should do more than just reiterate facts, farm motivational soundbites, and refuse to ask follow-up questions to the most interesting ideas revealed. By the end of The Unbreakable Tatiana Suarez, it feels as if the film has repeated the same few talking points over and over, which doesn't actually make Suarez herself look better, but makes her look more like a product to be endorsed. Any potential discussion that can be had about the dangerous nature of wrestling and MMA—or on how this kind of controlled, organized violence interacts with real domestic violence experienced by Suarez—is quietly dismissed.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Tatiana Suarez

Director: Cassius Corrigan

Rating: PG-13