One last look at the Metro Filmfest entries

(First of two parts)

The 2008 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) was a success —   ending with very little controversy. Of course, I don’t agree 100 percent with the results of the awards night, but those weren’t really horrible choices. The entries this year to begin with weren’t bad. All the films, in fact, were more or less of festival quality — although not a single one is bound to be called a classic in the future. (No Insiang, Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?, Burlesque Queen, Kisap-mata, Himala, Karnal and other truly outstanding works harvested from the annual Metro Filmfests.)

Below, allow me to give one final assessment of the eight MMFF entries — plus an analysis of why some of the films didn’t do very well at the box-office.

Baler — Any period film done in these times gets my full support — especially one like Baler that depicts an almost-forgotten historical account.

Although I would have wanted more out of it and can only imagine in my head what Peque Gallaga could have done with a project like this (with Don Escudero doing the production design), I am happy with its Best Picture win.

And while I’m not exactly questioning the victory of Anne Curtis, I still think she is miscast (although she actually gives a good performance) as the india who falls in love with a half-Spaniard. However, Viva Films must have made the right decision in giving her the role because Baler may not have been the top-grosser but, at least, it didn’t become the tail-ender, which could have been the fate of a period movie like this one. No doubt, Anne has her own following and that gave Baler better chances at the box-office.

Dayo sa Mundo ng Elementalia — The animated film should have been among the Top 3 Best Picture winners. Apparently, it didn’t make it because commercial viability was factored in during the selection of winners and Dayo, sadly, wasn’t a box-office hit.

But Dayo clearly is the result of a lot of hard work and we see this on the big screen: Excellent music, editing, the best graphics, etc. It also has a neat story about how a young boy named Bubuy (voiced by Nash Aguas) ventures into the underworld while guided and protected by the friendly and vegetarian manananggal Anna (Katrina Legaspi). It would have been a huge treat for kids last Christmas.

So why did it bomb at the box-office? Maybe it lacked promotion. And then there was the product itself. It may have pleased the all-adult members of the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) that gave it an A, but how did it appeal to kids — its target viewers?

The problem with Dayo is that for all the effort they put into it, its creators forgot to make it more attractive to children by coming up with really bright colors. What is supposed to be a magical world in the film looks dreary. And all it needed were vibrant colors to entice kids to see it again and tell their playmates about it.

And in spite of the fact that we see a lot of creatures from Philippine folklore — the tikbalang, aswang and a Cebuano-speaking kapre — there’s still a lot of Lord of the Rings influence to it. Maybe that’s why it’s a bit dark. The problem is that Lord of the Rings may have been a hit all over the world (it made big business here in the Philippines) but do take note that it appeals mainly to teens and the older generation — and mostly the AB crowd. I have yet to meet a kid who was crazy about Lord of the Rings.

And so in spite of its superior quality, Dayo failed miserably at the box-office in the recent Metro Filmfest. This is tragic because it is an excellent film product that should have been seen by a bigger audience.

Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat — The first Ang Tanging Ina some four, five years ago will always be one of my favorite local comedies. I therefore looked forward to its sequel and wasn’t disappointed — until toward the end when it stopped being funny. Oh, but the early parts proved to be hilarious — riotous even. A lot of credit goes to the highly-charged performance of Eugene Domingo — and even Gloria Diaz, who plays the assassinated lady President. Much of the energy, of course, comes from the lead star Ai-Ai de las Alas and she is at her brightest in the movie. She excels in all her scenes — be it drama or comedy.

Unfortunately, the creative staff failed to provide her with enough material she could bite into till the last frame. By the film’s second half, in fact, she is practically on her own. This is such a pity because the early part of the comedy is truly laugh-out loud. If only that had been sustained.

All in all, however, Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat remains one of the most entertaining entries in the last Metro Manila Film Festival. But I doubt if it could still afford to give another serving next time. It’s The End for Ang Tanging Ina — as in goodbye na sa inyong lahat.

 (To be concluded)