Back then, I remembered there were some good Filipino films to watch. One of them was the film Anak which was about OFW families. The film Madrasta was also worthy of foreign nomination. Today, a lot of these films are just mediocre. In fact, back in 2011, Get Real Philippines did write an article that says Filipino films just don't make us think. The title is a rude generalization BUT one can think of how it may become a generalization sooner or later. The film festival isn't really doing any good for Filipino films. Instead, the film festival may be guilty of promoting mediocrity due to how many movies there are mostly mediocre. What do you expect when teleseryes too just don't make you think or extend the number of episodes until the plot goes nowhere? It's almost like how comic book companies never bother to end or conclude a storyline - that's why I simply stopped reading comics some time ago!
I wouldn't think about the lack of originality as the only thing that kills. Sometimes, it's not about who started it first but who did it better. Take the example that Virtua Fighter came first before Tekken but the latter did better. I don't mind Filipino films taking ideas from my favorite foreign franchises. Some of my favorite foreign franchises have had good adaptation or localization - such as Korean or Taiwanese drama based on hit Japanese Manga or Anime. The real problem with Filipino films is spelled with IMPLEMENTATION. Innovation itself involves definition, discovery, development, and DELIVERY. Make sure that whatever changes are done that you get good results! Any good innovator knows implementation is part of keeping the innovative cycle spinning.
What's also wrong with them? I could mention how everything can be summarized with my experience. There's bad scriptwriting done by trained scriptwriters, bad directors, the tendency to rely too much on attractive cast members (and we know where Power Rangers Megaforce ended up), victim playing mentality is encouraged especially if the protagonist is poor, overly predictable plotlines, protagonists who are unbelievably powerful, forcing cast members to overact rather than be themselves, and the promotion of obnoxious love teams. I think I haven't even given a quarter or a tenth of what's wrong with the film industry. I have zero experience in working with the entertainment industry and I'm no professional scriptwriter.
Protectionism of the local film industry also led to its mediocrity and decline. How often is it that some foreign films are delayed in their screening until January? I would dare say that it's probably just there to make room for more local films. The problem with the local film industry is that they're so pampered that they only compete against each other. What's the use of having competition if mediocrity only competes with mediocrity? It's just like how the oligarchy's competition is too small to consider a real competition. Maynilad and Manila Water caused a crisis because two ain't enough to provide water for a load of Filipinos needing it. Philippine Internet is slower than usual because PLDT and Globe aren't enough to provide when the Philippines IS AN ARCHIPELAGO. Why would they bother truly innovating if there's hardly any competition, right?
Worse, they have probably bribed the mainstream media to make themselves look good. Is it me or are there cases that the movies are promoted as box office hits when they're in fact box office failures? Besides, the credentialist stupidity has caused idiots to try and silence nobody bloggers who criticize them. In short, Metro Manila Film Festival is run by bully film companies who force the Filipino people to watch their B.S. films one way or another, right? So, who's the real bully now?
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