Jessica Zafra's Twisted Flicks on Letterboxd
Issue #21
[Author’s Note]
Hello fellow Filipiniana fans,
It’s been a while since my last post. November was a busy period for us. We moved residences which always involves a lot more time and effort than you think. I also ran my third marathon, culminating a 5-month training block. Work was also hectic because everyone was chasing deadlines and trying to wrap up projects/tasks ahead of the Christmas season limbo.
To everyone who sent a message/left a comment asking when I’d post again, thank you for the concern and the support! I’m plugging back in and hope to be more active again. I also have new ideas I’d like to try out in 2026, so stay tuned.
Halina!
-Roi
I made a Letterboxd list containing the films referenced in Jessica Zafra’s Twisted Flicks so you don’t have to
A couple of weeks ago, I started re-reading Jessica Zafra’s Twisted Flicks. I bought the book back in 2011, shortly after learning about Jessica Zafra from an older cousin who had some of her Twisted books. Since then, I’ve been a fan of her work. I have some of her books but am on a quest to complete the entire collection.
Since I’ve been logging more films on Letterboxd recently, I thought it would be a good idea to pick up Twisted Flicks again and make a Letterboxd list of the films reviewed or referenced in the book.
You can find the Twisted Flicks Letterboxd list here.
There were some omissions though. Like Penelope Cruz where she was “good in that [Pedro] Almodovar movie,” “Pam Grier’s blaxploitation films,” “recent Schwarzeneggers,” William Wyler’s Forties films and “Mother” Lily Monteverde’s/Golden Harvest Films’ “pito-pito movies.” You’ll notice these are essentially categories and not specific films. I could have added them to the list but I feel like it would unnecessarily bloat up the selection, when they were really just mentioned in passing. Still, the entire resulting list contains 260+ films. Including the omissions, it would be north of 300!
Growing up and to this day, I consider Jessica Zafra as an influence and a role model. I wanted to be like her and do all the awesome things she does. From writing about interesting things, traveling extensively and having legendary side quests most people would be happy to have as their mission (e.g. briefly managing the Eraserheads). Re-reading Twisted Flicks is just another reminder. I started religiously tracking the films I watch on Letterboxd sometime in 2024. Since then, I’ve logged ~150 films. Over a few years, Ms. Zafra watched 300+ films which she ended up mentioning in the book. There were probably more that didn’t make the cut and more that she didn’t even write about.
Number one, that’s crazy productivity. Watching that many films and still finding the time to do her work. But then again, it is part of her job. Number two, she is a major cinephile! Ms. Zafra, if you are reading this, we need you on Letterboxd. I’ll be your first follower!
Her knowledge of cinema was on full display here. She could point out Bomba films referencing Vertigo or Chinatown. She’s not afraid to claim Joey Gosiengfiao got something right which Guy Ritchie struggled with. You could tell she loves cinema, but it’s also apparent she’s a champion of Filipino cinema particularly. Even while watching international films, she “keeps her eyes peeled for the Pinoy” because “there’s always a Pinoy.” In an interview with film director Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, she asked what the audience can do to improve local movies. In one of the articles, she concluded, “Mabuhay ang Pelikulang Pilipino.”
Re-reading the book, I was reminded what made me a fan of hers in the first place. In typical Jessica Zafra fashion, her writeups are accessible, highly-engaging and humorous. I particularly loved reading her reviews for not-so-good films. (For a more scientific classification of films, refer to her notes on page 101 where she differentiated between good trash, plain trash, movies-so-bad-it’s-good, movies-taking-itself-too-seriously-it-becomes-bad, campy movies and “successful” movies.) Her roasts are so good it made me think that they were probably more entertaining than the very film she reviewed. But oddly, those roasts made me want to see the bad films just so that I could appreciate what she wrote more (instead of the other way around).
Since it’s the holiday season, I wonder how she finds this year’s MMFF entries. Again, Ms. Zafra, please create a Letterboxd account!
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