Back when a horny fridge brightened up the Christmas break.

 

Messieurs Manny Pangilinan and Albert Martinez, Rosario better be good.  It's the sole glimmer of hope in the list of mindless entertainment that will be in every moviehouse this Christmas break.  Here are the official entries to the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival:

1. Ang Agimat ni Enteng (comedy, action, fantasy by
M-Zet/GMAFilms/OctoArts Films/Imus Productions/APT Productions)
2. Ang Tanging Ina Mo Rin: Last na To! 
(comedy
, ABS-CBN)
3. Dalaw 
(suspense thriller, 
Cine Media)
4. Rosario (drama-filmbio
, Cinema Buhay)
5. Father Jejemon (dramedy
, RVQ Productions)
6. RPG (an animation film,
 ABS-CBN Film Productions/Ambient Media)
7. Shake, Rattle and Roll XII (horror suspense
, Regal Entertainment)
8. Super Inday and the Magic Bibe (comedy/fantasy
, Regal Entertainment)

Decades ago, the Manila filmfest would showcase the most exciting work by contemporary filmmakers.  It was the biggest movie event for cinephiles.  Several classics were filmfest entries: Ganito Kami Noon Paano Kayo Ngayon, Insiang, Kisapmata, Himala, Karnal.  But since the late 80s, greedy movie producers have contaminated it with horrible sequels, horror films, visual effects, rip-offs of Hollywood blockbusters.  And if only for that, we can’t wait for Christmas to be over for the Oscar hopefuls to start showing.

Believe or not, the first Shake, Rattle & Roll was a masterpiece, specifically National Artist Ishmael Bernal's Pridyider episode.  From a script by the late great screenwriter Amada Lacuesta, who also wrote the abortion movie Hinugot Sa Langit and the hilarious protest movie Working Girls, Bernal gave a fresh take on the horror genre by having a horny refrigerator as the baddie.  Sheer genius.  It has yet to be surpassed by producer Mother Lily, in spite of modern technology, and the tons of money she’s earned from the laughable Fil-Chi ‘epic’ dramas.