METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL (MMFF) 2012: SHAKE, RATTLE, AND ROLL 14

                  It was my birthday. The kids were urging and begging me  for a   treat.   My two daughters, my niece, and my nephew ages  11, 8 , 7 and 6  respectively want to watch the movie   Si Agimat, Si Enteng at Si Ako in the still ongoing MMFF.  Fortunately for me , they  had  seen  this year  MMFF top grosser Sisterakas just after Christmas  with their aunt (they  enjoyed that  film very much). With  Sisterakas crossed out,  they will be bugging me only with one  movie and predictably so, it’s Si Agimat, Si Enteng at Si AKo.  Well actually,  Sossy Problems was also mentioned but I immediately shot it down using  “inappropriate for your age” as an excuse. 

                The kids love the Enteng character. We have  VCD copies of Enteng 1-4. I had also viewed  both  Enteng  Kabisote  4 and Si Agimat at Si Enteng  with the family when it was shown during previous  MMFF.  Admittedly, those movies have many moments of fun and laughter especially for kids but  overall for an adult like me, it  is tiring and really  burdensome to watch. I can’t remember what alibi I made not to watch  last year's Enteng rehash, Enteng Ng Ina Mo but for this year,I have the perfect excuse... 

                "That movie is just like the previous  Entengs. It may be funny but it doesn’t really have a story to tell;  or I can tell you the story myself even without watching it;  and  anyway  six months or so from now it will be shown in  T.V,"  were among my excuses. But the clincher was, “ we  will watch instead   Shake, Rattle, and Roll 14 or  nothing, ” as I pretended to be firm. ( But at the same time sincere knowing it is a better  quality film.) It was directed by Chito Rono. The man who directed, Feng Shui, Sukob and The Healing.  All   those are good films.  My daughters and niece have seen and like  Feng Shui and Sukob and so,  reluctantly they relented. “Sige na nga,” they said.    

                We watched  the  5:20 P.M. showing at S.M. Cinema 4 in Calamba, Laguna.  The  first of only two screenings of the movie that day.  It actually  shared the venue with El  Presidente  which  only had  a single  viewing schedule,  opening the cinema  at around 2 . The venue was perhaps 90 percent full with only the front seats unoccupied...

                  I entered the venue with high expectations because  of the name  Chito Rono.  After mostly disappointing episodes since the Shake,  Rattle and Roll franchise  was revived in 2005, I was thinking  this one would give some credibility to this long running series or it would be satisfying at the least.

                   However, the moment the lights went back as The Unwanted, the  last of the movie trilogy ended,  the venue was filled with cries ,sighs, and whispers of disappointments. Many immediately stood up  and  hurriedly  walked  towards  the exit. I  felt shortchanged.  For me, the  saving grace among the trilogy was the first episode Pamana which was   very entertaining, with memorable performances by Arlene Muhlach and (especially) Janice De Belen,  until it went kaput towards the end.

                “Sinabi ko na na nga Enteng nalang dapat ang pinanuod natin,”  was what my 7 year old niece said. Referring to The Unwanted episode, my 8 year old daughter told me, " Ano ba yan ang weird.  Biglang me alien tapos the end of the world. “ “Even a brilliant director at the helm cannot save a movie with a bad script, ” I have read.   

                 Feeling somewhat guilty, I  contemplated and came close to telling them that we will watch Si Agimat, Si Enteng at Si Ako...but-- one thing I am certain  though is, I will no longer entertain the  idea of watching   El  Presidente just to satsify my curiosity or just to   support the MMFF.  Judging from the reviews I've read, I don’t want to subject myself with another disappointing MMFF  movie experience.