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Islands, directed by Martin Edralin, is a heartfelt and introspective drama about a Filipino-Canadian man grappling with his cultural identity, family obligations, and sexuality. The film premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival and was acclaimed for its deft handling of complex themes and its nuanced performances. Rogelio Balagtas stars as Joshua, a middle-aged Filipino-Canadian man living in Toronto who is caring for his ailing father. Joshua is an introverted and reserved man, and his struggles with loneliness and isolation are palpable. He works as a security guard at a strip club and spends most of his days at home, tending to his father and speaking on the phone with his sister in the Philippines.

Islands explores the tension between Joshua's Filipino heritage and his Canadian upbringing. Joshua's father is traditional and conservative, and his dismissive attitudes towards Joshua's sexuality and non-romantic relationship with a co-worker exemplify the generational divide between them. Joshua's conversations with his sister reveal the cultural differences between them, as she is a devout Catholic who is shocked by Joshua's "immoral" behavior.

The film's title refers to the metaphorical islands that Joshua and his father inhabit. They are both physically isolated - Joshua never leaves the house, and his father spends most of his time in bed - and emotionally cutoff from each other. Joshua's inability to communicate with his father is a recurring theme, made more difficult by language barriers as Joshua struggles with Tagalog, his father's native language.

Into Joshua's life comes Marisol, played by Sheila Lotuaco, a friendly and outgoing Filipina woman who works at the strip club with him. Marisol is curious about Joshua's life, and he slowly opens up to her about his struggles. Marisol is a breath of fresh air for Joshua, and he finds himself drawn to her. However, his feelings are complicated by his closeted sexuality and his fear of disappointing his father.

The film's pacing is deliberate and measured, with long stretches of quiet character study punctuated by bursts of emotional turmoil. Esteban Comilang's sparse and haunting musical score underscores the film's melancholy tone, while the cinematography by Vincent Tang captures the stark and sterile beauty of Joshua's surroundings.

Through its sensitive and compassionate portrayal of Joshua's struggles, Islands offers a poignant meditation on the complexities of identity, family, and loneliness. The film's resolution is ambiguous and open-ended, leaving the audience to draw their conclusions about Joshua's future. Islands is a moving and accomplished debut from director Martin Edralin, and a powerful showcase for Rogelio Balagtas's understated and affecting performance.

Islands is a 2021 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.3 and a MetaScore of 77.