Festival of retreads and repackaged formula flicks

MERYLL Soriano and John Lloyd Cruz in “Honor Thy Father”

We’ve said it many times in the past—and we’ll say it again: If the movers and shakers of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)  can’t give local moviegoers more than inane retreads and repackaged formula flicks, they should discontinue the festival’s monopoly at the cineplexes during the holidays—or scrap the money-generating but neuron-decimating venture altogether!

After all, how do you justify disqualifying the lineup’s only exceptional entry (Erik Matti’s “Honor Thy Father”) in the best picture race merely a day before announcing your “winners’” list?

The participation of the John Lloyd Cruz starrer in a much-publicized event like the Cinema One fest was no secret, so the MMFF’s belated decision over “Honor’s” so-called “nondisclosure” of its “by-invitation” screening last Nov. 8 was nothing short of mind-boggling. Have they been living under a rock? Worse, even the festival’s New Wave category and its winners leave a lot to be desired.

We’ve long declared John Lloyd and Jericho Rosales the finest actors of their generation, bar none—and they don’t disappoint in their respective starrers.

VICE Ganda (left) with Coco Martin in “Beauty and the Bestie

But while best actor winner Echo (in Dan Villegas’ “#Walang Forever”) is indubitably memorable as Ethan, a cancer-stricken app developer who’s head over heels in love with his rom-com writer fiancée, Mia (Jennylyn Mercado), he’s hobbled by his film’s rambling exposition and its gratingly “pa-kwela” supporting cast—a case of the spices taking over the main ingredient.

In contrast, John Lloyd is given a big boost by his cautionary drama’s noirish beauty and carefully calibrated exposition. As Edgar, a man at the end of his rope, he embraces his unflattering role with unfaltering thespic perspicacity—and relishes the opportunity to embrace his flawed character, warts, flabs, shaven head and all.

The same is true with best actress Jennylyn and Meryll Soriano. The latter, who’s magnificent as John Lloyd’s overzealous wife Kaye, crumbles under the weight of her overarching ambition. Jen is fetching and adorable, but her performance is compromised by her film’s hackneyed excesses.

The fact that a flawed film like “#Walang Forever” is one of the MMFF lineup’s best entries, along with Randolph Longjas’ “Buy Now, Die Later,” doesn’t bode well for a festival that used to put a premium on quality over commercial appeal.

Its accomplished films in the ’70s and ’80s included indelible screen triumphs like Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala,” Celso Ad Castillo’s “Burlesk Queen,” Lino Brocka’s “Ina Ka ng Anak Mo,” “Insiang” and “Bona,” Eddie Romero’s “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?,” Marilou Diaz Abaya’s “Brutal,” Mike de Leon’s “Kisapmata,”  Chito Roño’s “Itanong Mo sa Buwan” and Lupita Kashiwahara’s “Minsa’y Isang Gamu-gamo.”   

JENNYLYN Mercado and Jericho Rosales in “#Walang Forever”

Longjas’ horror comedy is as stylish as it is inventive. It follows a group of desperate people (Vhong Navarro, Alex Gonzaga, Lotlot de Leon, John Lapus, etc.) who makes a Faustian bargain with the Devil (TJ Trinidad) to make their dreams come true. Unfortunately, the convoluted movie fails to generate sustained suspense, and often finds itself recycling thrills to monotonous effect.

It’s hard to resist the potent appeal of “AlDub’s” Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza in the top-grossing “My Bebe Love.” The winsome young comers portray star-crossed lovers, Dondi (Richards) and Anna (Mendoza), who are caught between the escalating conflict of their warring elders, Vito and Cora (Vic Sotto and the shrill and livid Ai-Ai delas Alas).

Maine acquits herself well in her first starring role, but giving her the best supporting actress prize for what seemed like a walk in the park for the likable newcomer feels more contentious than well-deserved.

AlDub may be charming, but their film is another matter: It is an expanded product-placement flick masquerading as a rom-com for its young and geriatric lovers, with shameless and unceasing plugs for, among others, a burger joint, mobile and telephone networks, a phlegm expectorant and a detergent bar that comes with its suggested retail price—“P6 lang,” Vic himself winkingly announced.

The jokes and sight gags of Wenn Deramas’ “Beauty and the Bestie” are just as old and shopworn, but they mostly benefit from Vice Ganda’s spot-on humor and crowd-pandering knack for self-deprecation, with some help from the flamboyant comedian’s easy chemistry with Coco Martin, who looks relaxed beside his wacky “bestie.” Say what you want about Vice, but it’s hard to begrudge him of his ability to tickle his intended audience’s funny bone.

We have eagerly followed Antoinette Jadaone’s frothy but skillfully crafted rom-coms, but as they say, a filmmaker is only as good—or as bad—as her last film. “All You Need is Pag-ibig” is a different cinematic creature—it’s a miss and a confounding mess.

It’s a series of half-baked stories strung incogently and incoherently together—which is a puzzlement, because rom-coms are Jadaone’s forte. It doesn’t just fail to capture the swoonsome allure of the well-loved tandem of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim, but its decision to utilize awkward and lethargic child performers who are painful to watch is, well, less than inspired.

Nova Villa is moving in the episode about jaded and faded love—and its rekindling. Kris Aquino isn’t as stolid as she’s always been, but that really isn’t saying much about her skill as an actress.

The film’s saving grace: the delightful Jodi Sta. Maria and the dashing Ian Veneracion, whose light romantic segment about a perky office worker (Jodi) and her brokenhearted boss (Ian) and the unexpected romance that blossoms between them should’ve been expanded.

Pedring Lopez’s “Nilalang” is just as convoluted and dour—it spins a fascinating yarn about a series of ritualistic murders and the demonic entity that seasoned NBI agent Tony Cuevas (Cesar Montano) must stop, with the help of a former mentor’s daughter (the scintillating but underutilized Maria Ozawa), a mysterious book and a samurai dagger!

The film isn’t just weighed down by incoherent yarn-spinning and a narrative devoid of urgency and action-packed thrills, it is also as dark as its subject matter—which makes it difficult for viewers to appreciate the action scenes suggested onscreen. If you want to resuscitate the action genre, this is not the way to go.

Jun Robles Lana’s “Haunted Mansion” spins a well-told tale about high school student Ella (Janella Salvador), who’s being bullied for her ability to see “dead” people.

The film has a major storytelling flaw, however: Why would a Catholic school send its students to a retreat house that’s known for sinister entities and other creatures that go bump in the night?