COMING SOON: Sequels, reunion and animation highlight MMFF 2008

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)—the award-giving film fest held every Yuletide season—is set to roll off beginning December 25. Familiar themes and faces are back in this year’s film fest slate, as well as fresh genres like animation and an adaptation of a hit sitcom which was last seen on the boobtube two decades ago.

All movies vie for the biggest slice of the box-office pie as well as a place in the award categories, from Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actors and Actresses, Best Editing, to Best Musical Score, among others.

The official entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2008 are:

Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat. This is the sequel to the original comedy movie Ang Tanging Ina, which scored many awards in MMFF several years ago including Best Actress by Ai Ai Delas Alas. She stars anew with comedienne and real-life bestfriend Eugene Domingo. The original film was a certified blockbuster. Because it took several years for the sequel, wherein the central character of Ai-Ai delas Alas moves on to become the country’s “Madam President,” to materialize, the cast and production are hoping they’ve whetted enough appetites to merit attention of similar proportions of the first film. A Star Cinema offering this 2008, Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat is directed by Wenn V. Deramas and script is written by Mel Del Rosario.

Desperadas 2. A Regal Entertainment offering written by Roy Iglesias and directed by Joel Lamangan, the movie is yet another sequel to last year’s Desperadas. It’s shaping up to be more hilarious than the first because of the most exciting development in this story of four half-sisters—played by showbiz’s prettiest namely Ruffa Gutierrez, Iza Calzado, Rufa Mae Quinto and Marian Rivera. That is the emergence of a long-lost sister in the person of comedian-singer Ogie Alcasid who portrays a woman (yes, a legitimate woman!) in the film.

Iskul Bukol…20 Years After. Enteng Kabisote, the perennial MMFF top-grosser may not be around to make a killing at the box office, but its producers are sure are… and this time, ushering the return of the Escalera Brothers. Yes, 20 years after the hit 80’s sitcom “Iskul Bukol” went off air, the wacky combination of Tito, Vic and Joey reprise their old selves two decades after they left Wanbol University and went on to become successful individuals. Iskul Bukol’s story and screenplay is written by Bibeth Oteza with director Tony Y. Reyes for Octo-Arts/M-Zet Production.

Baler. A Viva Films presentation, this period film features Anne Curtis and Jericho Rosales together with Joel Torre, Philip Salvador and Leo Martinez. Written by Roy Iglesias and directed by Mark Meily, this movie is partially based on the siege of Baler, Quezon during the early Spanish era, and how a love story survived and thrived amidst a war.

One Night Only. A sexy-comedy film by Canary films, it recounts the misadventures of several pairs in a motel one eventful evening. “One Night Only” features Katrina Halili, Alessandra de Rossi, Diana Zubiri, Jennylyn Mercado and Valerie Concepcion. As sexy-comedy films have hardly made a splash in recent years, we wonder if the movie has something more to give other than an excuse to showcase the present roster of FHM stars.

Shake Rattle and Roll X. The 10th edition of the longest running horror movie series from Regal Films, this trilogy of horror is directed by Mike Tuviera and Topel Lee. Whether you like it or not, whether the franchise has given Filipino moviegoers new and exciting stories in the past years or not, Shake, Rattle and Roll has somehow evolved into a tradition so much so MMFF would not be complete without it.

Magkaibigan. This film is Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s tribute to his close friend, the late actor Rudy Fernandez, who passed away this year. Estrada will star alongside Christopher de Leon and comebacking actresses Dawn Zulueta and Maricel Laxa. Estrada is a regular contributor to the yearly MMFF; interestingly, his friend, Sen. Bong Revilla has excluded himself this year.

Dayo. Under Cutting Edge Productions, this is the first-ever, full-length animated movie that has been accepted to MMFF. This is the only entry that is really made for children. Dayo promises to be a magical take on favourite Filipino folktales. This is directed by Robert Quilao with Artemio Abad and Eric Cabahug.