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The start of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival always falls on
Christmas Day. For fourteen days, only Filipino films are being
shown in Metro Manila cinemas.
The festival was established in 1975, with the
Augusto Buenaventura film Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa
running away with the Best Picture plum. It had Joseph Estrada
as its lead actor, years before he became the country’s president.
During 70s and the early 80s, the event also
served as a showcase of the best of Philippine movies. Entries
turned into classic with Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano
Kayo Ngayon? Ishmael Bernal’s Himala, Mario O Hara’s Bulaklak ng
City Jail, Marilou Abaya’s Brutal, Celso Ad Castillo’s Burlesk
Queen, and Lino Brocka’s Insiang becoming some of the best
Filipino films of all time.
Then for some reason, quality was compromised,
allowing films like The Untold Story of Melanie Marquez, Patrolman,
Alyas Kanto Boy, Mano Po, and Nasaan ang Puso to win awards of
excellence.
Last year, the filmfest reached the pinnacle of
absurdity when the jurors declared Enteng Kabisote Best Picture.
Apparently, the organizers, led by the Metro Manila Development
Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando revised the rules and prioritized
box office receipts in favor of quality and technical excellence.
The funny thing is, when the duration of the festival was over, the
second best film, Kasal Kasali, Kasalo, overtook Enteng at the box
office race so the organizers became the recipients of their own big
joke.
This year, the screening committee has accepted
the application of nine entries. In alphabetical order, these are
the titles of the movies competing for box office supremacy and
awards for this edition of the traditional Film Festival: Anak ng
Kumader, Bahay Kubo, Banal, Desperadas, Enteng Kabisote 4, Katas ng
Saudi, Resiklo, Sakal Sakali Saklolo, and Shake, Rattle and Roll 9.
Most of the local movie sequels have a hard time
measuring up to the standard set by their initial outputs. These
pale in comparison since their plots and subplots have become dated
and the performances of the same cast have become tiresome and
exhausting. So, we have to see what magic Jose Javier Reyes
will weave in Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo. Vic Sotto says that his new
Enteng Kabisote is a prequel so it will be interesting to find out.
Shake, Rattle and Roll is on its ninth
installment and the ordinary Filipino moviegoer should never be
pushed too far. The promotional materials say that as usual, there
will be three spooky episodes starring a chopsuey cast of underpaid
stars. Honestly, who would want to watch the ninth edition of a
horror movie? Even Stephen King needs to take a rest.
In Resiklo, Bong Revilla leads a resistance
group of humans and defends a “recycled” sanctuary called
Paraiso against aliens. This might be too heavy a subject for the
holiday moviegoer, unless the movie upgrades the level of special
effects to never-before-seen sequences.
There are some spots reserved for the newcomers.
GMA 7 reporter-turned-director Cesar Apolinario called the shots for
Banal, a film about the different faces of modern day policemen.
That already gives us some clue on the little level of interest the
film will be able to sustain. Joel Lamangan might just be
successful with his Desperadas, a take off from the hit TV series
Desperate Housewives, with a Filipino twist. His other entry
Bahay Kubo is being marketed as the Pinoy Mano Po. Mano Po has
always been a Filipino way of respecting the elders, right?
The problem with some celebrities is that they
are never satisfied. Manny Pacquiao may be a hero in the
boxing arena but can anyone please tell him that he is, and never
will be, cut out for the movies. Playing the lead role of a
rebel leader in Anak ng Kumander is a sure way to be knocked out at
the tills.
The buzz these days is, Jinggoy Estrada’s
Katas ng Saudi is a wonderful movie and that he is a shoo-in for the
best lead actor award since “bagay na bagay kay Jinggoy ang
role.” Well, he commissioned the smart, no-nonsense director
Joey Reyes to write a script that will have him in the lead, so
that’s what Reyes simply did. We’ve seen the movie and we
must agree that although it’s not a brilliant film that will
become a classic, it might be the most sensible film this festival,
considering the growing number of Filipinos with a member of the
family who has fled the country to search for greener pastures.
For now, let’s wait and see. It’s just
the first day of the festival and nobody knows which among these
films will draw the crowds in. And as far as the awards night
scheduled next week is concerned, we just hope we won’t see
another big joke unfolding.
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