2009 Metro Manila Film Festival

[sharkey360]

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HOW THE METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL DESTROYS THE REPUTATION OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA
By Reymundo Salao
[justanotherfilmjunkie.blogspot.com]

Year after year, the Metro Manila Film Festival does nothing but promote the lousy and dark side of Philippine Cinema. And it should not be patronized.

In the Philippines, the Philippine Film Industry is divided into two major divisions; First is the indie (independent) film industry composed of indie film-makers and producers which are generally not part of the major studio system. It is not too often literal to use the term “independent” because companies like Unitel & Unico are a big production company, yet they are the company that helps in the release of indie films or comes to the aid of independent projects, and in addition, they also produce movies with indie film sensibilities. And then you also have companies like Cinema One, which is actually part of the entire ABS-CBN company, yet, it has its own sense of division and independence from the other company like Star Cinema

The second division of the Film Industry is the Mainstream Film Industry. Or if we compare it to politics, these may be referred to as the TRAPOS, the same old scums that never really introduce any good new change. The Mainstream Film Industry is composed of the big names, Viva Films, Regal Films, Seiko Films, M-Zet, LVN, Imus Productions, GMA Films, Star Cinema, and all the prominent film industries you hear about it in noontime variety shows and gossip news. These are the productions companies that make the same old garbage; projects that are lazy imitations and are devoid of any creativity. They have long been so skilled in the art of taking the mass audience for fools. Many of the best movies they could come up are actually copycats of already-established prominent movies. Movies like “Mano Po”, “Ang Darling kong Aswang”, and “the 2009 Ang Panday” among many other big Tagalog movies have been mere copies, products that prove a lack of originality, products that make us conclude that there is a great irony going on: these movies are made by the richest film outfits in the country, yet they could not afford to hire production teams, writers, and directors with ACTUAL Brains that can brew the imagination of a real filmmaker. Shame on them.

In contrast, Pinoy indie filmmakers can make marvelous movies on a shoestring budget, and they even manage to be triumphant as champions in international film festivals. Films like “Kubrador”, “Ilusyon”, “Yanggaw”, and “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” have been champion films. But they are never hailed locally. The masses are never familiar with them. Their fame is drowned by the publicity of really bad Pinoy movies like the cheesy romance stories that have been done over and over again without a glint of originality. And indeed, many do flock to these rotten garbage movies, while we see that the really good Pinoy movies manage to attract a handful of audiences. Who’s fault is this? Well, the big production companies of course. THEY have the power; THEY have the money. Yet they continue to breed the culture of dumb film appreciation among the masses. THEY have the power to influence maturity among the movie-going public, yet they choose to continue riding on garbage. And they would do it over and over and over again for as long as the production companies continue to be *****s.

This year, the popularity of YANGGAW (here in the Visayas) proved that the masses can appreciate movies that are decent in form and quality. Pinoy Filmgoers are not idiots. But the mainstream film-makers would want it to be that way. You want to support the Philippine movie industry? Watch good Filipino movies. Watching BAD Tagalog movies really isn’t helping; in fact, it destroys the Philippine movie industry by breeding and cultivating bad filmmaking and promoting bad film taste among the masses.

The Metro Manila Film Festival is the festival that celebrates the mainstream film industry. If it’s successful, then you prolong the destruction of Philippine Cinema. Mainstream Film Industry must be crushed first before we can cure Philippine Cinema. Remember that a body cannot be healthy if it tolerates an existing virus inside it....you must kill it first before becoming healthy. Pila subong ang cine? 100 per person? Spend time with your family. Buy a DVD movie instead.

Agree or disagree?

[Visual C#]

The MMFF Apocalypse has begun. Barricade your homes. Avoid contact. Wait for official instructions.

[sharkey360]

The MMFF awards ceremony is happening tonight

[sharkey360]

MMFF 2009 Box Office Results (Opening Day)
Here are the official box office results (opening day) of the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF 2009):


1. Ang Panday – 16.9 million
2. Ang Darling Kong Aswang – 16.7 million
3. Shake, Rattle & Roll XI – 16.2 million
4. I Love You, Goodbye – 11.7 million
5. Nobody But Juan – 8 million
6. Mano Po 6: A Mother’s Love – 6.9 million
7. Wapakman – 750 Thousand

Source - MMFF 2009 Box Office Results (Opening Day)

Did the movie you watched on opening day (December 25) make a lot of money?

[sharkey360]

Movie reviews online!

WAPAKMAN

Wapakman was doomed to fail from the very start, it being the kind of ambitious project that the MMFF both accommodates and eventually destroys. Add to that the fact that its star had a fight in November, and it seems miraculous that anyone involved in the project produced anything at all. But so it goes, lost in the paradox of the season, we are left with a film that feels unfinished, and broken beyond repair, despite whatever great intentions lay behind it.

More at Doomed to Fail @ ClickTheCity.com Movies

ANG DARLING KONG ASWANG

Ang Darling Kong Aswang would be a far better movie if the entire first act were just removed. We could’ve just started with Victor just finding out that his sweetheart is a monster, and go on from there. Because those last two acts, though still suffering from many of the bad habits of his recent work, feel closer to the strange, absurd magic of Tony Reyes’ films from the late 80s and early 90s. People may knock on those films for being cheap and corny, but the truth is that we loved them because of the sheer manic joy that they put up on screen. This isn’t quite it, but for the first time in a long time, the joy appears to be coming back.

More at The Joy Returns (Movie Review for Ang Darling Kong Aswang) @ ClickTheCity.com Movies

SHAKE RATTLE AND ROLL 11

The problem with any Shake Rattle and Roll movie is that the three segments make up a pretty lengthy whole, and this iteration is no exception. And with segments of varying quality, it’s a little tricky to recommend the whole. But I do think that Ukay-Ukay alone is worth the price of admission, despite the overwhelming length. It’s one of the most enjoyable things I’ve seen all year, featuring that sort of low-rent charm that can bring an 80s kid right back to childhood. And though it’s not all great, Shake Rattle and Roll XI ought to be commended for once again giving a few new voices the chance to tell their stories.

More at New Blood (Movie Review for Shake, Rattle & Roll 11) @ ClickTheCity.com Movies

[sharkey360]

Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.’s "Ang Panday" and Megastar Sharon Cuneta's "Mano Po 6: A Mother's Love" were the biggest winners at the 35th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Both films bagged 7 trophies each during the awards night at the SMX Convention Center Monday.

Revilla's action-fantasy flick won best actor and best picture

Source - (UPDATE) 'Panday' named 2009 MMFF?s best picture | ABS-CBN News Online Beta

[sharkey360]

MMFF was established in the 1970s by film producers, the local studios and the mayors of Metro Manila at the time. As the time passed, the festival grew and expanded nationwide through the theaters.

To acknowledge the expansion nationwide, the word Philippines was added to the festival title. Sometimes it was called Metro Manila Film Festival - Philippines or MMFF-P.

Still, the festival itself is a problem.

I'd rather watch Avatar than any of this year's entries.

[Arshen]

support lng ko sa mga filipino shows nato

[sharkey360]

Would it be nice that Cebu-based filmmakers produce a film to compete in the MMFF someday? A film with a big budget, nice concept and a cast of known stars.

[dukot_]

no offense pud.. mga bati jd tanan..
maypag ibalik ang foreign movies, nahan unta ko motan aw og avatar ron na week...gggrrrr!