READ: 7 MMFF entries this 2019 and why you should watch them
It has been a tradition for most Filipinos to watch the entries of the Metro Manila Film Festival every Christmas.
Parents usually have their kids in tow in the cinemas, while friends and couples go on their much-awaited movie date.
But every year, we all seem to have the same dilemma: What movie should we go see?
So, we listed the seven official MMFF entries for 2019 and why we think they're a must-watch.
1. Miracle in Cell No. 7
This is a remake of the 2013 tear-jerking Korean film about a mentally challenged man, played by Aga Muhlach, who is accused of murder and how he struggles to maintain his relationship with his daughter despite being in prison.
Why it's a must-watch:
The movie depicts just how unconditional a father's love is. It will also make you reflect on your own relationship with your father. Yes, you will probably cry an ocean, but you will come out of the movie house with a new perspective on family and life.
Should you still watch it if you've already seen the original version? We say yes because the story will be even more relatable now that it is put in a Filipino setting and infused with Filipino values.
2. Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity
This is the Christmas offering of Bossing Vic Sotto, EB Dabarkads Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola, comedienne Pokwang, hunk actor Jake Cuenca, and the Phenomenal Star Maine Mendoza. It's an action-comedy movie about a heist plotted by Don Robert Fortun (Sotto) in order to reclaim from his brother Benjie Fortun (Manalo) what he believes is his: The Pearl of the Orient. In the process, he aims to vindicate himself from a crime he was wrongfully accused of. It also stars Jelson Bay, Sarah Lahbati, and Kapuso actress Max Collins.
Why it's a must-watch:
From the trailer alone, one could tell that the movie will be a lot of fun to watch. Vic Sotto had long dominated this genre and never fails to deliver. It's interesting to see him play a seemingly bida kontrabida role - the opposite of his hero cop role in last year's Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles.
This is a movie that the whole family would love to see. There's a little bit of everything for everyone. There's comedy, action, and a bit of drama. Everyone will leave the cinema with a smile on their face and a renewed love for family.
3. Sunod
This is the comeback movie of Kapuso TV host and actress Carmina, Villarroel-Legaspi, and is also the only horror movie in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival. It's about a mother who takes on a call center job to cover the rising medical expenses of her gravely ill daughter. She then mysteriously starts to experience ghost hauntings from a spirit of a young girl, in the rundown office of the call center company she works for.
Why it's a must-watch:
Not everyone is looking for laughs this Christmas. Some of us actually want a good scare and a good story. Sunod will surely cater to your horror movie cravings, and will definitely be relatable for those who work in the BPO industry.
Aside from the interesting story and the eerie scenes, netizens have also commended the trailer for its impressive cinematography.
4. Mindanao
The film is about a Muslim mother, played by Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo, who takes care of her cancer-stricken daughter while waiting for her combat medic husband to come home from deployment in the southern Philippines. It also stars Yuna Tangong and award-winning actor Allen Dizon, and is directed by critically-acclaimed independent film director Brillante Mendoza.
Why it's a must-watch:
The film gives us a glimpse of what life is like in a war-torn place. It also has an interesting angle because Allen Dizon plays the role of a Maguindanaoan Muslim man who works for the Philippine Armed Forces.
According to Brillante Mendoza, the biggest point that the film wants to make is that anyone can serve and love his country regardless of his religion. So, if you want to watch a touching and eye-opening movie, then you must see Mindanao.
5. Write About Love
The movie is about two writers who will team up to write the perfect rom-com. Kapuso actor Rocco Nacino plays the veteran writer, while Miles Ocampo plays his newbie writing partner. In the process of writing the ideal rom-com, their clashing views on love and relationships get in the way, and the biggest question is if they will finish writing the perfect love story, or will they end up writing their own?
Why it's a must-watch:
Whether you're in dire need of some kilig in your life or you just want a feel-good movie about relationships, you should go see Write About Love.
If you're nursing a broken heart, it may even help you heal, because it'll show you different perspectives on love and relationships. Never underestimate the power of a good rom-com to lift one's spirits.
6. 3pol Trobol Huli Ka Balbon
This is a comedy-action film about a cop, played by Coco Martin, who wants to clear his name after being framed for the murder of his boss. So, he goes to great lengths -and lots of trouble--in order to get through the daughter of his boss, played by our very own Kapuso, the Ultimate Star Jennylyn Mercado. Also starring in the film is Kapuso comedian Super Tekla and the Comedy Queen Ai ai delas Alas, who plays the mother of the lead character.
Why it's a must-watch:
It's a fun-filled movie for the whole family. People of all ages will surely enjoy the perfect mix of comedy, drama, and a bit of action.
Plus, there are lots of cameos in the film, including the beloved Yorme, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.
7. Culion
The film is inspired by the true stories that took place during the dark days of our country's medical history in Culion island in Palawan, a former dumping ground for people who have Leprosy a.k.a. Hansen's disease or ketong in Tagalog.
The cast of Culion includes award-winning Kapuso actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Iza Calzado, Meryll Soriano, Joem Bascon, and Mike Liwag.
Why it's a must-watch:
The movie paints a clear picture of what it's like to be shunned by society for having an incurable disease that everyone feared. It will also teach us a lot about history and how much stronger the human spirit is compared to any disease.
Aside from being an inspiring and educational film, fans of John Lloyd Cruz are dying to see him return to the big screen in Culion.
There you have it, a list of the 2019 MMFF entries and why they're a must-see. Keep on supporting Filipino movies and enjoy the film or films you'll be watching.