Live Show tops the Manunuri’s quarterly citations

After the brouhaha over Live Show, the state of Philippine cinema turned from bad to worse. These days, local producers do not seem inclined to make films or even exhibit in Metro Manila theaters their already finished products – uncertain of the fate of their respective movie projects in the hands of the Movie, Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

Right now, foreign films are once more making a killing at the box office. When I saw The Mummy Returns last week, even the balcony aisles were filled with people. And this was the last full show!

In sharp contrast, local films are eating dust. I hope the situation reverses soon – for the sake of the Philippine movie industry.

Actually, the local film business went off to a good start this year. A lot of the films that were exhibited prior to Live Show made good money at the box office. And some of these films were also well-crafted and technically polished.

The Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, in fact, has come up with its first quarterly citations honoring some of the better works on film from January to March of this year.

The one film that got the most number of citations from the Manunuri is Live Show. It is being cited for direction and screenplay (Jose Javier Reyes), cinematography (Eduardo Jacinto), production design (Jake de Asis), music (Jesse Lucas), sound (Albert Michael Idioma) and the performances of Klaudia Koronel, Paolo Rivero, Ana Capri, Simon Ibarra, Hazel Espinosa, Daria Ramirez, Oliver Hartman and Nikka Valencia.

Gatas sa Dibdib ng Kaaway was also cited for direction (Gil Portes), screenplay (Butch Dalisay), music (Joy Marfil) and the performances of Mylene Dizon and Kenji Marquez Motoki.

Balahibong Pusa, a huge box office success, also received citations for cinematography (Yam Laranas – who is also the film’s director) and music (Jessie Lazatin).

Abakada Ina, which received a B rating from the Film Ratings Board, was given a couple of citations by the Manunuri for direction (Eddie Garcia), cinematography (Romulo Araojo) and production design (Manny Morfe).

Sa Huling Paghihintay, the Viva Films love story that starred Rica Peralejo and Bernard Palanca, got a citation for its cinematography by Larry Manda.

The sex comedy Booba also got a single citation from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino – for the performance of its lead star, Rufa Mae Quinto.

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Most movie sequels often do not live up to the original. The blockbuster hit The Mummy Returns is an exception. It is bigger and a lot more spectacular than the first installment.

The Mummy Returns is set supposedly 10 years after the events of the original film. And now we see our adventurer Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser) married to librarian-turned-archeologist Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz). They have a nine-year-old kid named Alex (played by new child actor Freddie Boath).

In this new film, we see the O’Connells, along with Evelyn’s brother Jonathan (John Hannah), battling different evil forces: the Scorpion King (played by wrestling superstar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) – plus the old villains Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo) and the Egyptian queen-to-be Anck-su-namun (portrayed by the beautiful model-actress Patricia Velasquez). Along the way, they also have to contend with dog-headed Anubis soldiers and pygmy monkey skeletons.

With all these various elements scattered all over the film, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz can hardly call this film theirs anymore – unlike in the first one. The story also takes a backseat to the computer-generated effects that come in from all corners of the screen.

Actually, this is what The Mummy Returns is all about: digital effects that are so many, they start coming out of your ears. (Warning: You can get an overdose of special effects here.) And the action spectacles also happen so fast – and in great number – that the viewer is left almost out of breath by the film’s end.

Most of the fast action scenes are really quite entertaining. The climax, for instance, is truly engaging. It is brilliantly choreographed and well-staged.

The pacing of The Mummy Returns – with all its fast action and adventure scenes – actually makes Indiana Jones come out like a paraplegic.