GHOST MONTH, FESTIVAL FAVORITES AND X RATINGS: A CRITICAL LOOK

The dreaded Ghost Month was no match for the stellar talents of Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia and the Southeast Asian superstar pop group SB19, as the movies they starred in became box-office sensations.

The JoshLia film Un/Happy For You, along with its cast, crew and producers, was ecstatic about its impressive earnings of over P200 million during its entire run. This success demonstrates that a compelling narrative, talented actors with a dedicated fan base, effective traditional and new media promotions, and strong word of mouth can lead to box-office success.

The SB19 Pagtatag! documentary made not only splashes but waves, as A’TIN and a large number of casual fans flocked to the cinemas to view it. During its limited run, it was heralded as the number one movie in theaters during the last week of August and the first week of September, and it was reported as the highest-grossing Filipino documentary film of all time.

This success clearly shows that John Pablo Nase, Josh Cullen Santos, Justin De Dios, Ken Suson and Stell Ajero -- the P-pop Kings -- not only reign in concert venues but also in the cinemas.

So, who is afraid of Ghost Month? Definitely not the JoshLia fandom or the A’TIN battalion. We look forward to more Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto movie collaborations and an SB19 full-length feature film in the near future.

Festival Favorites

Without a doubt, there were clear public favorites at the recently concluded Sinag Maynila Film Festival. These favorites deserve a theatrical run due to their engaging and fresh narratives, standout acting by cast members and impressive artistic and production aspects.

Topping the list of favorites is Alvin Yapan’s Talahib, produced by Feast Foundation. It gave a new spin to the phrase “be afraid, be very afraid” by using a talahiban-covered subdivision to evoke eeriness, fear and nightmares. The film features impressive performances from Gillian Vicencio, Kristoff Garcia and the confused policemen Joem Bascon and Jess Mendoza, as well as scene stealers Sue Prado and Dax Alejandro. Talahib was truly an exhausting, gripping and thrilling slasher cinematic ride.

Sheron Dayoc’s The Gospel of the Beast is a film that combines a cautionary tale with themes of lost innocence, exposure to violence that erases the concept of morality and a quest for vengeance that undermines one’s humanity. With its hard-hitting narrative depicting the darkness of unfortunate souls lured into selling whatever they have for quick gains and sterling performances from Jansen Magpusao as the juvenile Mateo and Ronnie Lazaro as his father figure, The Gospel of the Beast makes a powerful impact. Its violence and grittiness convey a bleak message: in this hell we live in, there is no such thing as redemption.

Joan Lopez-Flores’ What You Did boasts a narrative that intrigues, thrills and serves as an excellent example of how to craft a psychological thriller without clichés or excesses. The film’s standout feature is undoubtedly Tony Labrusca, who excelled in his dual roles of Arvin and Ace. As Arvin, he portrayed naiveté, loneliness and reclusiveness. In contrast, as Ace, he embraced his dark side, playing a schemer, a sexual predator and a ruthless alpha without remorse.

What You Did revitalizes the independent film scene, demonstrating how a film should be crafted with originality and depth.

When these cinematic gems receive their official release dates, be sure to include them in your must-watch Filipino film list; they are worth your time and hard-earned pesos.

Rated X

It is not only a major source of bafflement but also embarrassment as to why the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gave RC Delos Reyes’ Dear Satan and JL Burgos’ Alipato an X rating.

Dear Satan initially received an X rating because, according to Sotto, “the film was offensive to her as a Christian.” Upon a second review, the X rating remained due to the film being “an attack on fundamental beliefs of the Catholic and Christian faith.”

The JL Burgos film also received an X rating with a quote attributed to Sotto stating, “Freedom of expression is not absolute and limitless.” However, after a second review, the movie was assigned an R-16 rating.

It makes me wonder why the MTRCB has suddenly become moral crusaders when their basic duty and responsibility are to classify movies and assign appropriate ratings.

Why they don’t trust adults to choose the films they want to watch, while imposing their own emphasis on Catholicism and Christianity and echoing slogans about freedom of expression, is an insult to the emotional intelligence and maturity of the film-watching public.

The obvious double standards used to classify Pinoy movies are plain to see. One need not count the numerous curses and foul language, the disturbing depictions of priests and nuns, or the rampant aggression and violence in imported films that never receive this level of scrutiny and moralizing.

I think we, the taxpayers, deserve a better MTRCB composition. If this moralizing and self-appointed guardianship of what is considered good and right by them continues, it might be better to abolish the board and transfer its classification functions to the Committee on Cinema of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, which is comprised of film advocates, academicians and experts, or to the FDCP, which likely has a more qualified group of individuals to decide and classify films based on their artistic merits.