This year is no different. I spent three days in three mall cinemas and shelled out a total of P1780 to see all eight entries. Here's what I think of them.
Although Honor Thy Father (Erik Matti) is the best film in the festival, it still seems to be out of place. MMFF is now about making money at the tills, and conscientious directors must be able to balance mainstream sensibilities with artistry. There are directors that just go all out with the cash-grab (Wenn Deramas, for instance), but there are directors that can achieve the middle ground.
Honor Thy Father is at the other extreme end, because its director, Erik Matti, didn't seem to make any compromise for his artistry. Other than the presence of a popular actor as the lead, there is nothing else that screams mainstream, or something that will attract MMFF moviegoers to watch it. It's unapologetic and brave, and it deserves praise for that reason.
While I like this movie, I feel like On The Job, another Matti opus, is better. I think Honor Thy Father is too short, and that it lacks a proper climax.
Antoinette Jadaone's All You Need is Pag-ibig chugs along at a leisurely pace. It has five stories to tell but it does not feel rushed, and I did not mind even if the characters' connections (Kim Chiu tutors Jodi Sta Maria's son, Jodi is dating Ian Veneracion, who is later revealed as Kim's estranged dad) seem to be a stretch.
Casting is perfect, and I give kudos to the director for good acting across the board. Even Xian and Kris Aquino, normally ham actors, gave good performances.
Dan Villegas's Walang Forever is a treat to watch because of the strong performances from Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales. Both won the main acting awards in this festival year, and I agree with the decision. My main contention with this film, however, is that the supporting cast is underdeveloped and under-utilized. Seb Castro, for instance, does nothing interesting throughout the picture. In fact, his scenes are just full of cringe.
Buy Now Die Later by Randolph Longjas is hard to like because it makes the viewer root for five awful people. A horror movie works if you like the protagonists enough to root for their survival. If the characters are horrible, then why should we want to watch them win? I cheered for the villain instead.
Jun Lana's Haunted Mansion is horror done right. It takes time to build its characters, making us care for each one, before it starts taking them out one by one. The villain is unique, the kills are fun, and it tries hard to avoid horror cliches. It is my favorite MMFF movie this year.
Nilalang, on the other hand, is my least favorite. It felt like director Randolph Longjas and his team cared more about style than substance. The characters feel hollow, like they are faceless action figures that are only there to play their parts in every extravagant new scene. For instance, the longtime nanny of Jane (Meg Imperial) died in a horrible accident. Jane was cheerful in the next scene.
Beauty and the Bestie, like any collaboration by director Wenn Deramas and Vice Ganda, is hilarious to watch but ultimately lacks substance. The story is not original--it is a close copy of Miss Congeniality--but it is worthwhile to see Vice Ganda inject his own brand of comedy in a tired script.
My Bebe Love by Jose Javier Reyes is also as unoriginal, but it never seems to drag. Ai-Ai delas Alas and Vic Sotto feel like a viable couple in the movie, even more so than Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards. It seems to be that the AlDub tandem are just phoning in their performances, and that they are relying too much on their reputation as a popular loveteam. There's nothing new to see.
Overall, this year's MMFF has a better selection of movies than the previous years because there's no movie that I really hate. I hope the next MMFF gets a better selection. See you in the cinemas.
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