December is upon us and once again, it’s that time of year when for a week, theaters close their doors to Hollywood movies and show an all-Pinoy line-up of films.
Of course, most of these films were paid for by the few surviving studios, dreamy venture capitalists, and by us, the taxpayers, through the Amusement Tax Collections. And as past festivals have shown, let us expect long lines in the malls, bloated box-office reports, and ambush testimonials by shrieking fans. Or if not, fingers crossed and toes scrunched, maybe a worthwhile film in the bunch.
Here are 8 predictions about the upcoming festival.
8. Erik Matti will unleash scads of bloody fun.
7. As usual, historical biopics will be loved by the scholars, but snubbed by the masa.
6. My Big Bossing’s Adventures won’t make as much as the first one.
Not helping is the producers’ choice of turning the movie into a three-part anthology, chapter-marked by three different genres (comedy, horror, fantasy) and three different directors (one of them, at least, being the unimpeachable Bb. Joyce Bernal). Sure, it’s a formula that’s worked before, but we all have a feeling that the Ryzza Mae fever is cooling down.
A hundred bucks says it won’t beat “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” this time around. (Andrew Garfield, yes, you may unclench your sphincter now.)
5. The Muslim community will have a grand time with the MM.357 reimagining.
Now, with ER Ejercito’s remake of the Fernando Poe Jr. classic, “Magnum Muslim .357,” here’s to hoping our brothers from the South will have fun with this Dirty Harry-inspired actioner.
4. “Feng Shui 2” will crush the staid “Shake, Rattle & Roll” franchise.
The war between these two horror franchises will prove to be interesting (to film nerds, at least).
On one corner is Chito Roño, a veteran helmer, and on the other is Jerrold Tarrog, the most prolific auteur working today. Sad to say, the “Shake, Rattle & Roll” films, over the years, had gone septic like a toenail. Now, with Coco Martin co-starring with Kris Aquino in “Feng Shui 2,” it’s a no-brainer on who’ll stay on top.
3. Vice Ganda will place first.
With okray humor being the gold standard of Pinoy comedy nowadays, “Praybeyt Benjamin 2” will surely bring the theater house down. Let’s not forget the draw of Bimby Aquino added to the mix. You don’t need the brains of Philbert Dy to get to that conclusion.
2. Director Dan Villegas will reap all the major awards.
With dynamite scripting by the Palanca Award-winning Antoinette Jadaone and Villegas’ Christopher Doyle-inspired lensing, this one will definitely be bagging all the trophies.
1. Same old, same old.
Attic-dwelling critics will tear their hair out and bemoan the sad state of Philippine cinema and their countrymen’s lack in taste.
The masa, on the other hand, will have the time of their lives, for the two hours they sit in the dark, as they forget about their hard knock lives.
Rinse. Recycle. Repeat.
Have a fun time at the movies, ladies and germs!
D0 you have your own MMFF predictions? Share them with us in the Comments Section below!