filipino movies

I like Cesar Montano's movies because they focus on the different aspects of being a Filipino as well as the problems that Filipinos encounter. For me, his movies are an eye-opener because they expose me to the reality of some Filipinos that the country does not pay that much attention to. Classic Filipino comedy movies are also nice to watch. The jokes aren't forced and the people telling them seem as if everything's spontaneous and not scripted.

Given the sorry state of the Philippine film industry and the kind of dumbing films that come out of it, I feel that it is very likely that some would naturally be disgusted and, thus, opt not to watch such movies anymore. However, I feel that even if mainstream Filipino films seem to be spiraling downward into the abyss of mediocrity, especially considering films that seem to have the same predictably boring plots, there still seems to be hope in regard indie films. I tend to be more inclined to watch such films, since I feel that it has something new and fresh to offer. At a relatively low cost, indie filmmakers could already come up with something that would likely spark one's interest because of its seeming originality and good quality. My only hope, though, is that movies such as Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag, Karnal, Oro Plata Mata, and the like would begin to pervade the mainstream film scene again very soon.

I think that there are several good and competitive filipino movies. However they actors and actresses are the cheapest ones just for the sake of joining contest abroad not first shown in our own country. When these films take home the bacons, then the story or movie can be shown in the Philippines. I think one example here is "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros". It was only shown here when the film won awards outside our country. The stars in the movie were not so known to the public. Actors and actresses in our country who are very popular are expensive thus producers then to shorten shooting or each films. This results to poor movies and stories are not award winning ones.

This is why I'm not too fond of Filipino movies, especially recent ones. It's disgusting how whenever they make films nowadays they simply copy a concept from the currently popular foreign films, and they don't even do a good job. It's okay for parody films but when they are used in an attempt to bolster a serious film, it becomes seriously insulting. Also, they should stop making all this fantasy crap with supposedly mind-blowing effects which aren't even better than Nosferatu's choppy stop-motion, and that's being generous. Our film industry seems to excel in real-life stories and dramas; they should just focus on that. Here's a nice concept: Put together topnotch actors and a good story, with simple but effective filming and editing. Instant blockbuster. Why do they almost never think of this?

I would still watch Filipino films especially the indie ones because they have a very interesting story even if they don't have a big budget in filming them. Producers must take note of the new directors and writers of today because they write and make movies that are very intelligent and articulative. I think the new generation of directors and writers will bring back the glory days of Philippine cinema.